Weakness of the Heart
by Esparzak
Summary: SasuXSakuXKaka "Has it ever dawned on you that I don't want you to be with him?" Sakura knew he would say something then, but not that. Never that. Something inside her broke, knowing this was the last, dying breath of their friendship. NEWLY REVISED
1. The Dream

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 1_

_The Dream_

* * *

A/N: I have decided to pull this out from the crypt and keep working on it. I have slightly revised it and fixed the awful grammatical errors. I hope you all enjoy! (This is AU, since I started this story many years ago, before the plot in Naruto expanded). I can't wait to finally finish this. I have some great ideas for this story.

* * *

_Darkness…_

_Silence…_

_Emptiness…_

_The small pink-haired girl rose to her shaky feet, confusion striking her features._

_Darkness…_

_Silence…_

_Emptiness…_

_Suddenly, her surroundings blurred into view as a pale, blood red moon caught the corner of her eye. Her glossy, emerald eyes scanned the area; nothing but echoing silence consumed her._

_She was standing on a small, arched bridge overstretching a shallow creek. The path leading through the bridge opened up to two sides. On the left of her, it seemed the path had no ending. A gravel path stretched and twisted into the darkness; nothing surrounded it— no tress, no grass, no sky—nothing but the path and the void._

_On the other hand, to the right of her, a dirt path stretched into the forest. The trees around it seemed to laugh at her mockingly as their branches and limbs stretched across the path. The wind shook the trees silently, but no matter how hard she tried, the small girl could not see where the path was leading._

_Disturbance etched her features. She felt so lost… so empty… A stinging frigid air enveloped her body and extinguished the warmth around her._

_A cold, dead rain began to fall onto the pink-haired beauty, trickling down her face and washing away her emotions. She shut her eyes and let the droplets bore into her soul. When she opened her eyes… she realized…_

_The sky was clear; the ground was dry…_

_But she continued to feel the frigid droplets penetrating her outer shell._

_Suddenly, the dark, deadly silence was replaced by a soft manic cackling._

_The small girl gasped, fear slipping into her mind. She squeezed her eyes tightly, hoping to escape from this silent dungeon._

_"S-Sakura…"_

_Gasping, the pink-haired girl's eyes shot open, and her heart began to race from the sound of that voice… the cold, emotionless voice she knew too well…_

_"SASUKE!"_

_Sakura raced over to the dark figure slumped over in a bloody mess. His jet black hair was disheveled and his clothes were dirty and worn with dried blood. As she turned his body over to face her, Sakura let out a grisly squeal…_

_Where she was expecting to find two coal-colored eyes, there was nothing—no eyes, no mouth—nothing but smooth, pale skin…_

_She shook with fear as she tried her best to get away as fast as she could. She stumbled to the ground, ready to brace herself, but, instead, something caught her._

_Her terror-stricken eyes traced the figure before her._

_"Haruno Sakura: Sasuke was right, you are weak."_

_Fear… confusion… bewilderment… she shivered in the tight grip of the dark boy. Switching her eyes between the faceless figure and boy before her, Sakura searched for an answer. Which one… is the real Sasuke?_

_The dark-haired boy tightened his grip on the pink-haired girl. A dark, sinister smirk graced his lips as a manic look pressed into his features. His deep, crimson red eyes traced the outline of her angelic face as he pulled out a kunai knife and held the cold steel to her throat. She gasped, unable to breathe, unable to think…_

_"Sasuke… no!"_

_He cackled softly, pressing the knife deeper into her skin. Tears welled in her eyes as a soft trickle of crimson blood escaped her skin._

_"Don't you understand, Sakura? I am destroying you and you don't even know it."_

_He licked the blood off her pale, stiff neck. She tried to push the tears out of her eyes, but they had lost their luster; they were nothing but dry stones in her skull._

_Suddenly, the world around her fell away. Nothing but the paths stood underneath her. A strong wind whisked her away from the menacing boy, carrying her high into the gray void behind her._

_But it was too late… her once warm flesh had turned to stone and she crumbled to nothing._

_She heard nothing but the manic laughter and the echoing silence…_

* * *

Sakura's eyes shot open as a look of fear overcame her trembling body. She gripped her sheets tightly until her hands became bloodless and numb.

_A dream… it was only a dream…_

She let out a restrained sigh of relief as the bleak aura of reality surrounded her.

_That dream… _

It was all too familiar to Sakura. She had had that dream many times before. Each time it was just as frightening as the last; just as graphic.

Letting her legs swing over the side of her bed, Sakura sighed. She needed some fresh air. She needed time to think.

After quickly slipping on a dull, red kimono, Sakura slipped out of her dead, lifeless apartment.

She was tired of loneliness.

She was eighteen years old. It had been years since Sasuke left Konoha to avenge the Uchiha clan. Life was different for her. Team 7 no longer existed. She had become a medical ninja under the aid of Tsunade, yet…

She still thought about Sasuke.

Nonetheless, her thoughts of Sasuke were different… her awestruck, clumsy, puppy love for Sasuke had grown into devotion. Some days would pass slowly with no thought of him, but nighttime was different. _Nighttime was always different._

The moment she laid her tired body down, her mind was flooded with painful memories of the cold Uchiha. She would wonder where he was, what he was thinking, if he was still alive.

And often, that dream would come to her in the midst of the night, troubling her.

She hadn't been one to sleep much since Sasuke left that cold, silent day.

Wrapping her arms tightly around her shivering body to contain her warmth, Sakura shakily walked towards the forest. Her emerald eyes flashed with dark emotion as troubled thoughts danced across her mind.

This was routine for Sakura most nights. After two or three hours of sleep, she would awake to darkness. Everyone in Konoha would be asleep but her. The drab surroundings of her apartment would force her and her thoughts away. And most always, she ended up in the same clearing in the forest.

It had become her safe haven from the pain of loneliness.

A few years ago, Sakura's mother passed away from an unknown illness, leaving her only daughter nothing but solitude. Her father had died in the war years before. Her mother was gone…

Sasuke had abandoned her…

She had few people left—Ino, Naruto, Lee—but it wasn't the same…

She was slowly suffocating on the inside.

Finally reaching the small clearing in the forest, Sakura collapsed on the soft grass below her, taking in the sweet scent of cherry blossoms. The pearly luminescence of the moon enveloped her in a comforting embrace. For a moment, all of her sorrow slipped away and melted into the relaxation of the nature around her. All she felt was peace as her mind slipped away into a drifting slumber.

Gazing at the pink-haired girl with a look of confusion, the silver-haired man slipped his kunai back into his pouch.

_Sakura? Haruno Sakura? What is she doing out this late?_

Taking a few soft steps towards the sleeping girl, the silver-haired man studied her.

_Has it really been that long since I have seen her?_

She looked so different to him. The usual heart-shaped face beaming with kid-like excitement had elongated, showing off exquisite, mature features. Her pale, pink hair had grown into a cascade of long, silky rose-colored locks. She wasn't a little girl anymore…

The curious man stepped forward until he was hovering above the lifeless girl. He studied her even closer. Her chest puffed in and out in low, soft breaths. She held a handful of pale pink cherry blossoms to her chest tightly.

_Maybe I shouldn't bother her now…_

The silver-haired man tugged on his hitai-ate, pulling it farther down the left side of his face. He shrugged lazily and turned to quietly escape from the small girl's slumber. But before he could move…

"What are you doing here?"

The silver-haired man felt a small hand grasping his ankle tightly. He turned to the once sleeping girl, giving her a lazy look. A fierce look graced her face as she held a kunai to the back of his calf.

Her emerald eyes flashed with an unknown emotion, until finally, they lit up with surprise. Dropping her kunai, she stood up quickly, looking the silver-haired man straight in the eye.

"K-Kashi-sensei!"

The small girl jumped forward, her emerald eyes sparkling with happiness as she gave the silver-haired man an unexpected hug. His half-lidded eye seemed unperturbed as the girl clung onto him.

"Sakura… it's been awhile."

Stepping back to get a good look at her sensei's face, Sakura smirked widely…

_He hasn't changed a bit…_

Hatake Kakashi still held the same air around him; the same lazy, uninterested air Sakura had seen the first day she met him. His hitai-ate still seemed to droop casually over his left eye, a trait that always seemed to make Sakura laugh on the inside. His emotions still seemed hidden behind that familiar black mask that covered the lower half of his face.

Her emerald eyes caught a glimpse of the moonlight, causing them to sparkle with exuberance. "How long has it been, sensei?"

He shrugged. "Two… maybe three years."

Sakura continued to smile cheerfully. "How was the mission?"

"Long."

She rolled her eyes. An answer she would expect from the great Kakashi. "What were you doing anyway, sensei? A mission that long only comes along in a great while."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets casually. "Spy and research… but it doesn't matter anyway." He shifted his gaze away from her expressive emerald eyes.

_Where her eyes always this animated?_

"What about you, Sakura? What are you doing out in the middle of the night? Shouldn't you be at home sleeping?"

Sakura blushed with embarrassment. "I-I j-just needed… some time to think."

The silver-haired jounin raised a pale eyebrow. "Oh? Something troubles the Haruno genius?"

He smirked at his comment, but Sakura didn't notice… the warm, greeting smile on her face had slipped in a somber frown.

"I-It's nothing… really…"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the fumbling girl. _Her emotions haven't changed a bit…_

"Okay, then… well, I am going to get going. See you around!"

Kakashi turned his back on the kunoichi. With a wave, he began to make his way out of the clearing.

An image of the faceless Sasuke flashed in her mind as Kakashi turned to leave…

_No…_

"Wait!"

Ashamed, the rose-haired girl turned her gaze to the ground as the tall man turned to face her again.

"Hnn?"

_What am I doing! He can't help me… let him leave… let him leave… let him-_

"Will you help me… with something sensei?"

_Damn! Too late now…_

The silver-haired shinobi raised a brow. _Haruno Sakura… is asking for my help?_ _Damn…_ He didn't know how to handle her emotional problems. He was so much different than her… reserved… quiet… nonchalant. He never knew what to say to help the poor girl.

He spoke up. "Depends on what that _something_ is."

She blushed, but she wasn't sure why. Kakashi had been her sensei in the past. He knew her more than anyone else, and they shared the same daunting history of Sasuke. He might be able to help her…

She fell to her knees and grasped a handful of pale pink cherry blossoms. Letting out a nervous sigh, she began. "I have been having this dream…"

Kakashi stepped forward in interest. "Ah.." He motioned her to continue as he took a seat next to her.

Taking a deep, shallow breath, Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and recited the dream to the silver-haired man. She told him every detail… every emotion… every sensation she felt during that reoccurring dream. It was weird for her to spill anything to Kakashi; especially that dream considering she had never told anyone about it… not even Ino or Tsunade.

And Kakashi was actually… listening. It wasn't a reaction she expected from the inattentive man.

Nonetheless, it felt good to get that darkness out of her mind and into the light. Even if he hadn't been listening, Sakura wouldn't have cared; just being able to speak her feelings was helping her to feel better.

After every last bit of Sakura's emotions had fallen out in the open, a long, heavy silence slipped between the two comrades. Sakura gave Kakashi a wary look as she played with a handful of Sakura blossoms. He seemed very lost in thought.

After what seemed like ages, Kakashi spoke up. "And… what do you want me to do about it?"

He gave her a casual look as she fumbled for the right words. "I don't know. I just want to overcome this weakness and move on with my life."

The silver-haired jounin cleared his throat. "Well, then, it seems like you need to get stronger, eh?"

She shot him a wary glance. "How so…?"

"Well, that's what you said, isn't it? You want to overcome weakness. Then, inevitably, you need to get stronger, right?"

She nodded, sending him an apprehensive look. "I suppose that is what I said…"

He smirked at the lost look on her face. "So then you want me to train you, right?"

"Ermm… yeah, I guess so. If I want to overcome weakness, I need to train to get stronger. But Kakashi-sensei… how can you-.."

He stood before the uneasy girl. "Well then it's settled. Meet me at the training grounds in the evening at five."

He turned to leave. "Oh, and Sakura, make sure Tsunade doesn't train you too hard before our session. I won't take any excuses."

She nodded quietly in his direction. _What had she just done…?_ Sakura watched as the silver-haired jounin retreated into the darkness.

If only she knew what she had just gotten herself into…


	2. Rule 1: Training the Mind

_Weakness of the Heart_

_Chapter 2_

_Rule 1: Training the Mind_

* * *

Really, why had she done that?

Sakura's emerald eyes swirled with emotion as she stared back at her light-haired friend.

"Ino, it was totally crazy. I don't even know why I had told him all those things."

Ino sighed heavily, taking a sip of her herbal tea. "Sakura, obviously, something inside you acted on impulse. At that moment, something _wanted _to tell Kakashi those things."

Sakura nodded. Ino was right. Maybe it was the lack of sleep. Maybe she was caught in the moment. Whatever the reason, she _had_ opened up a totally different door between her and Kakashi. Things would be different… _wouldn't they?_

Ino waved a disregarding hand at Sakura. "Besides, Kakashi-sensei is Kakashi-sensei. He won't remember any of the details by tonight. You know he doesn't get caught up in emotions."

Sakura nodded agreeably. Ino was the perfect person to ask for advice. She always seemed to have an answer. At times she was boastful, but she was still helpful.

But really… what _was_ she thinking? Kakashi was a physical man. He could help her gain stamina; he could help her with any jutsu out there. But this was a painful, lost love she was talking about. Her heart and mind were the only things that needed mending.

She could see it clearly now:

'_Sakura why are you so slow today?'_

'_I am heart-broken sensei… it is hard to train with a broken heart.'_

'_So.'_

Sakura shook her head hastily, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. _I am such a fool… this is only going to cause me more pain…_

"Besides, Sakura, I am worried about this whole dream thing. It seems a little… morbid. Maybe it is best you train with Kakashi. It might help distract you from… well… you know."

Unlike Sakura, Ino's love for Sasuke had diminished just as fast as it appeared. She had ruled it out as a childhood crush years ago. Speaking of Sasuke was much easier for her; but she knew how fragile her best friend could be about the situation.

Ino grinned devilishly. "And besides, you've got to admit your taijutsu has gotten a little… _rusty."_

Sakura glared daggers at her friend, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest. "And you're an expert I presume?"

Ino shrugged casually. "Duh! But that's not what I was implying, of course. I just think it's a good idea to get some extra training in. Kakashi-sensei is one of your best options for that." She paused, taking another sip of her tea. "I think it's time to finally move on, Sakura."

Sakura's anger slowly dissipated as the truth in Ino's words sunk in. She sighed, giving her friend an uneasy look. "M-maybe you are right Ino…"

Ino stood up abruptly, pointing a rigid finger at her pink-haired friend. Her cerulean eyes sparkled with pride as she shot the troubled girl a large grin. "That sounds better! See Forehead? What would you do without me?"

Sakura gave her friend an agitated glare.

"I think I'd be just fine, thanks…" She stated simply.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"No… I didn't say anything."

Grabbing her friend by the arm, Ino threw some money down on the table. "Now, I think it's time we get back to the hospital Haruno. We don't want to keep our patients waiting."

Dragging her pink-haired friend close behind her, Ino stomped confidently towards the Konoha hospital.

Despite the massive amount of work at the hospital that day, only one thing continued to cross Sakura's mind…

_I am destroying you and you don't even know it…_

* * *

The pink-haired kunoichi sighed heavily, mumbling a few complaints under her breath.

It had been two and a half hours, and there was still no sign of her unpunctual sensei. She was cold, tired, and not to mention hungry.

She should've expected this. It's Hatake Kakashi— he'd be late for his own funeral if he had the chance.

But still, she was cold, tired…

_Gruummbllleeee…_

And hungry…

_This is a waste of time. Why did I ever tell him about the dream!_

Sakura cursed her actions under her breath, kicking an innocent rock beside her. She was a grown woman. What was she doing wasting her time waiting for a man that wasn't even her sensei anymore?

Standing abruptly, Sakura turned to leave, but, instead, ran directly into a warm, solid object.

After a few moments, Sakura finally realized that the warm, solid object had arms.

"Going somewhere Sakura?"

Blinking a few times, the pink-haired beauty finally realized she was staring directly at Kakashi's chest.

"K-kakashi-sensei?..."

The confused look on her face was instantly replaced with a stern, unforgiving glare.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

She stepped away from him, crossing her arms like a pouty child. "I am not a little kid anymore, sensei! I have important things I need to do!"

"Oh? If these things were so important, why didn't you leave earlier?"

She narrowed her emerald eyes at him curtly. Unable to shoot back an answer she quickly shifted the subject.

"Well, it is almost dark now anyway, how do you expect to train me without any light!"

He shrugged casually. "We don't need any light for this type of training."

She gave him a curious look as he pulled a dark-colored cloth out of his pocket. "Wha…?"

"Are you ready?"

She nodded apprehensively. _What is this crazy man thinking?_

Giving her a lazy smirk, he motioned for her to spin around. Her eyes shifted fretfully between his coal-colored eye and the cloth he held loosely in his hand. Finally, she slowly twisted her body around, her back facing the silver-haired jounin.

She let out a quiet gasp as the smooth fabric pressed against her eyelids.

_Is he… blindfolding me?_

Tying the fabric tightly around Sakura's head, he spoke up. "Don't even try to use your eyes… they will be useless in this session anyways."

She nodded apprehensively. Turning to face her sensei, she pushed her soft, rose-colored locks over her shoulder.

Kakashi studied his anxious, awkward student and smirked, trying his best to contain his laughter. She looked ridiculous standing there with that blindfold on. Despite the fact that her vivacious eyes were hidden from him, he could still see the anxiety pressed into the corners of her frown.

He chuckled softly. "Sakura, you act is if I am forcing you to kill somebody."

Behind the dark blindfold, she narrowed her eyes at him angrily. "Excuse me, Kakashi-sensei! But at this point I don't know what to expect!"

He chuckled at the agitated girl. "Cool your jets. This session is going to be easy. I promise."

Kakashi took Sakura's hand and pushed her into a sitting position. "Sit down…"

Sakura hesitated at first, but humbly followed the direction of her sensei.

"Wait… no laps around Konoha? No sit-ups or push-ups? What's the catch?"

He ignored the young girl's complaint, placing a small, delicate object in her hand. She froze for a second, but then began fingering the object gingerly, deciphering its existence.

Confusion etched her features. "Sensei… this is… a blade of grass…?"

He nodded. "Hai."

She shuffled the object back and forth in her hand. "What do you want me to do with a blade of grass?"

"Tell me about it." He said simply.

She scoffed, chuckling skeptically. "Are you kidding?"

"No… I am not."

She paused for a moment, unable to decipher what was happening. After a long, heavy silence, she chuckled and spoke up. "Well, it is an herbaceous plant from the Graminoid family, and its adaption to many different environments makes it one of the most versatile life forms."

Kakashi laughed. Her encyclopedic-like memory had always been humorous to him. "No, deeper than that…" He paused momentarily. "Come on, I figured my brightest student could pull this off."

She sighed. D_eeper than that?_ What did he mean? She shut her eyes tightly for a moment, squeezing the small blade of grass in her hand. What did that blade of grass remind her of? Sakura slipped deep into the back of her mind, searching for answers different than the facts she had uttered moments ago. For a moment, the only sounds surrounding them were the crickets off in the distance and the soft inhale and exhale of their breathing. She suddenly felt at peace…

"It reminds me of… me"

Kakashi raised a pale brow at her. "Ah… how so?"

She smirked slightly. "Grass is always there, always holding up strong. No matter how often it is tread upon, it always does what it is supposed to. No one can ever notice its beauty or strength."

Kakashi smiled widely at his student, his visible eye crinkling at the corner. "Good…"

Sakura tilted her head curiously. "Now, how is this supposed to help me?"

Kakashi ignored her inquisitive question as he snatched the piece of grass out of her hand, replacing it with another lifeless object.

Sakura bit her lip as she ran her slim fingers across the smooth, metallic surface. "It's your Hitai-ate."

Kakashi nodded, watching the pink-haired girl as she pursed her lips together in concentration.

Suddenly a somber frown graced Sakura's lips as she quickly returned the object to her sensei. "It makes me think… of… Sasuke."

Kakashi slipped into an awkward silence as he glided his Hitai-ate onto his head, returning it to its usual, lazy position. His half-lidded eye studied the small girl as she shook with emotion.

Sakura chuckled uneasily to break the silence between them. "It's just that… all the hard work… all the dedication I had put into becoming a shinobi… was for him." She scoffed at herself disdainfully. "What a fool I was…"

She sighed as images of the dream flooded her mind, drowning her wishful thoughts and hopes… suffocating them…

_Haruno Sakura… Sasuke was right… you are weak…_

Ever since Team 7 had formed, Sakura had always felt like she was a step behind Naruto and Sasuke. She was the slow one—the useless one. At times, she felt as if her existence in the team was worthless… as if they would actually be better off without her.

Kakashi's languid, coal-colored eye fell to the ground as he preserved the silence between them. _What to say?_ He felt like an idiot for offering to train Sakura. He was a man of very few words. He was very black and white compared to Sakura. Her mood was always changing—always radiating a different color.

_What is it about that boy…? She can never seem to tear her mind away from him…_

"Quit crying and stand up."

Sakura gasped at the dark tone in Kakashi's smooth voice. Standing shakily, she began to regret everything she said. "I am sorr-…"

Before she could finish, she felt a cold, sharp sensation on her throat. She reached her hand up to push away the foreign object pressed against her throat, but a bulky, strong hand grasped her wrist tightly.

"Quit acting so weak Sakura. A shinobi doesn't have time for wishful emotions."

Sakura gasped at his harsh words as he pressed the kunai deeper into her throat. Her mind raced as her heart stopped beating.

Letting the kunai fall to the ground with an echoing clatter, Kakashi turned his back on Sakura. After a long, mocking silence, he spoke up steadily. "I _can_ help you Sakura. But you need to stop being so hard on yourself. No matter what you think, you are not foolish or weak."

Sakura shook with discomposure as she shakily fell to her knees

She froze for a few moments, letting the current situation soak into her mind. For some reason, one emotion arose in her mind as Kakashi's words echoed intrusively in her mind:

Anger…

She had no idea why, but she was absolutely furious. He hadn't said anything malicious so what triggered this rage…?

The petty sorrow slipped away from Sakura as she quickly took out a kunai and lunged at the silver-haired man. In a flash, he swung his right forearm up and blocked her.

She hissed in return, jumping back to reform her attack plan. But there was no use, the only thing driving her was pure madness; nothing seemed to formulate right in her mind.

With no regard to the obstructing blindfold, Sakura lunged forward again. Kakashi grasped her arm tightly, holding her at an arm's length away. She continued to trash and swing blindly at him, kicking and punching, throwing kunai and shuriken, or whatever else she could find.

Until, finally, her anger simmered into nothing…

She panted wildly as she dropped all of her weapons. They clattered to forest floor with an echoing percussion. Warm sweat trickled from her forehead, dripping on the soft grass below her.

She felt so… good.

Kakashi reached up slowly and tugged softly at the blindfold, letting it drift to the ground. The smooth fabric softly grazed her cheek as the wind carried it to her feet.

Sakura stared back at Kakashi wide-eyed, her breaths ending in short puffs. His coal-colored eye bore into her as a dense, painful silence enveloped them. Everything around them fell away; the only thing Sakura could see was Kakashi penetrating stare.

A flustered blush flushed Sakura's cheeks as she finally turned away from Kakashi. He shoved his hands in his pockets as a soft chuckle erupted from the silence.

"Ah… that's what I was looking for."

Sakura shot Kakashi a perplexed look. "What…?"

Bending over to pick up Sakura's weapons, Kakashi smirked. "You see, every shinobi has a driving madness inside them. It allows them to endure pain and suffering. It allows them to kill. It's what makes or breaks a qualified shinobi."

Sakura's jaw dropped slightly as her brows furrowed in confusion. Noticing her bewildered composure, Kakashi spoke up. "Most shinobi can uncover this madness through physical strain… but you… were a little different."

Sakura's body remained frozen as Kakashi spoke. She wasn't quite sure how to react. Should she be mad? Upset? happy?

Kakashi leaned forward, returning Sakura's weapons to the leather holster on her thigh. "To obtain _your_ madness, I had to get you in a state of _mental_ strain…"

All the pieces seemed to fall into place in Sakura's mind—the strange way he made her describe the blade of grass—the startling sensation she felt when he pressed the kunai to her throat.

He was manipulating her emotions…

He knew _exactly_ what to do to push Sakura's mental and emotional buttons. A quality not even _she _had acquired.

She shot Kakashi an astonished look. "How… I mean…why…?"

Kakashi leaned forward, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You need to learn how to _control_ that madness Sakura. Once you can control it, your emotions will contain themselves."

Sakura was astounded. He really was a shinobi genius. She never expected this. She came to the training ground today expecting another exhausting session in Taijustu skills; what she had faced was hardly the former. How did he know? Did he really know her _that_ well? That thought frightened her a bit. All the years they had known each other, she always thought Kakashi was uninterested in what went through her head. She believed he only noticed the things on the surface.

Apparently… she was wrong.

A cold, bitter wind pierced through Sakura's thoughts, sending her crashing back to reality. She blinked her emerald eyes a few times, registering her surroundings. Kakashi stared back at her lazily, awaiting a response.

She nodded listlessly. "I… understand… but, how?"

He shrugged. "You'll see."

She nodded apprehensively. She trusted her sensei, but there was something so different about the way she perceived him right now. He didn't seem like the casual, impassive man she thought she had known so well.

Sakura shivered as the wind battered her small frame. She shut her eyes tightly and wrapped her arms around her body, attempting to contain the warmth. Kakashi tilted his head. "Come on. I'll walk you home."

She nodded slowly as she turned to follow him apprehensively.

Silence blanketed the two shinobi as they made their way towards Konoha. The silver moon danced on Sakura's face as she continually shot studying glances at the tall man next to her.

There was just something inside telling her that things were going to be a lot different now…


	3. Rising Opposition

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 3_

_Rising Opposition_

* * *

Sakura let out an exasperated sigh as she glared up at the setting sun. _Three hours…_ She had been waiting for three damn hours. Expecting her sensei to be late, Sakura had showed up at the training grounds an hour later than she said she would, and three hours later there was still no sign of him.

Spinning a kunai around her index finger, Sakura scoffed angrily under her breath. She was so bored… Giving up on entertaining herself, Sakura let her mind drift away passively.

It had been two weeks since Hatake Kakashi had begun training her. And just as she had expected, things were different between them. Their relationship hadn't quite done a complete turn-around, but to Sakura, it was more like they were _friends_ rather than dedicated comrades. He wasn't quite as lazy and listless as she remembered, and he seemed _interested_ in what she had to say, regardless of the topic. There was something nice and easy about spending time with him, and she was slowly peeling away the layers underneath the mask.

Sakura liked the change, though, and reveled in the idea of someone as damned perfect as Kakashi giving her regard. He was still as mysterious as before, but the newfound interest in another being—a woman amazingly—opened up a whole new side of the Copy-ninja in Sakura's eyes.

In fact, a sick, sarcastic humor seemed to seep from Kakashi's outer exterior just a few days into her training. Sakura enjoyed it willingly, making sure to let _her_ somewhat arrogant sense of humor shine. The way they joked with each other, one would imagine they had been close friends for years. The strange part was that they hadn't been tight companions until recently.

The main thing that had changed, though, was not their relationship, it was Sakura. She actually _genuinely_ smiled now. She seemed to shine with exuberance, and all of Konoha noticed it. No longer did she speak of Sasuke, and she refrained from thinking about him. In fact, she hadn't said one word about the Uchiha since. Regardless of the change on the outside, though her heart still hurt.

"HEY! Sakura, what are you doing out here? Haven't you heard the news?"

Sakura jumped slightly as her mind came crashing back to reality. She blinked her eyes a few times in confusion before an anxious Shikamaru blurred into view.

"Huh? What- I mean, no."

"Sasuke's back!"

And with that…

Her two weeks of hard work shattered into nothing; nothing but distress and despair. That familiar stinging pain rose in her throat as the world around her spiraled away.

* * *

Sakura swallowed hard, propping her shaky body against the wood door to her apartment. She was safe.

After Shikamaru told her the news, she _attempted_ to go visit Sasuke… that's right…

Attempted…

The farthest she got was the front of her apartment. Within seconds, she was fearfully hiding within the walls of her apartment. As Sakura had expected, her heart had chickened out, cowering back to the corner where her former self sat.

But the funny thing was she didn't know _why _she didn't want to see Sasuke. Maybe she felt she wasn't ready. maybe she was afraid her weak heart would collapse all over again. Whatever the reason, she was sure of one thing… she _really _didn't want to face him.

Letting out a troubled sigh, Sakura slid to the floor in a crumpled mess. What was she gaining in hiding? She had to face him someday, right? It's not like she was walking straight into her funeral or something…

Or was she…?

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

Sakura let out a startled squeal, jumping slightly at the offensive sound.

"Sakura-chan! Come on! Open up! Haven't you heard! Sasuke's back! He's returned to Konoha!"

Naruto's excited voice rang in Sakura's ears through the protection of her front door. She ducked away from the front door, letting out a silent hiss. _Yes, _she _had_ heard, but she wished she hadn't. Maybe if she was silent enough he would go away… _doubtful._

Sakura's sighed heavily, standing up to face the inevitable. She had to face him sometime or another—why not now? She could get it out of the way and spend her time ignoring the spiteful Uchiha. At least that's what she hoped as she pulled deep inside for the strong countenance she desperately needed.

Opening the door slowly, Sakura squeezed her eyes shut tightly. "Hey, Naruto! How have you been?"

Her voice squeaked awkwardly in fret, and her face twisted in a sick, forced smile that screamed nervousness. Naruto gave her an odd look.

Ignoring her composure, he pulled at her arm. "Come on! Sasuke's back and we have to visit him! Believe it!"

Sakura nodded, giving in apprehensively. Inside, she was quivering as her blond teammate tugged her towards the Uchiha estate. Her mind screamed at her in disdain:

_It'll be okay! This is nothing- he means nothing- just being respectful- no need to fret- I'll be fine- it'll be over with soon- oh god- oh god- who am I kidding? I can't do this- I can't do this…_

Before she had time to think straight, she was standing before the iron gates of the Uchiha estate.

"Isn't this great Sakura-chan! Maybe Team 7 can get back together and it will like old times! I will finally have a chance to beat Sasuke!"

She nodded uneasily; completely unaware of _anything_ that came out of Naruto's mouth. She felt like an innocuous cow being led to the slaughter.

Naruto tugged on Sakura's arm, trying to force her out of her fixed position. Pulling her towards the front door, he smirked, "Sasuke! Open up! Sakura-chan and I are here!"

He pounded impatiently on the front door, unaware of how loud and rude he was being to the village. Sakura's heart pounded wildly as echoing footsteps oozed through the front door. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to formulate a rightful greeting for the current situation.

_This is it…_

The door opened slowly, creaking defiantly. But when Sakura opened her eyes… the dark-haired Uchiha was nowhere in sight.

"Kakashi-sensei! What in the hell are you doing here!" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at the silver-haired man.

Sakura's heart dropped.

_Was that… disappointment I felt...?_

Kakashi shrugged silently at Naruto.

"Well! Where is he!" Naruto pushed his way through Kakashi, unaware that he was in pursuit of answering his own question.

Kakashi shot Sakura a sheepish look. She smirked uneasily, letting out a restless chuckle.

_Is that look for keeping me waiting so long… or does he just pity me at the moment?_

Sakura forced a determined look, pushing past Kakashi and stepping inside the desolate estate. She was too focused to notice her surroundings as she pressed on towards the sound of Naruto's voice. Before she knew it, she had stomped into Sasuke's room with dying confidence.

And there he sat…

His arms were crossed vigilantly as he gazed indifferently out the window. For a moment, Sakura's heart felt a sting of nostalgia as she gazed at him. Her cheeks burned red as she stared at him wide-eyed, taking in his form.

He had changed so much…

He was always attractive in the past, but now, she could barely look at him with her mouth closed. His jet black hair hung casually in his coal-colored eyes, revealing a much more masculine jaw line. He had grown out of his average child-like body, leaving a defined and chiseled work of art. His clothing was the most different of all—a simple, open white shirt revealing the smooth planes of his muscles and a loose pair of black, ninja pants. A long, thin katana hung slackly from his shoulder.

Sasuke didn't even budge; he continued to stare apathetically out the window. It was as if he hadn't even noticed Sakura walk in. It was probably in her interests anyway, since her intense stare was enough to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

"Sasuke! Aren't you going to say something?" Naruto seemed peeved as he raised his fist at the dark-haired boy.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly, but maintained his withdrawn stare. Sakura finally broke her stare, turning to the irritated blonde boy next to her.

She swallowed… hard. "Maybe we shouldn't bother him Naruto. He has probably been annoyed enough today."

For a moment, Sasuke's dark eyes flickered in Sakura's direction. A strange look graced his face as he turned to reestablish his hard stare out the window.

"Hn.."

Naruto growled. "You think you are all high and mighty! You don't even have the decency to say hi to your friends! If you think I am ever going out of my way to visit you, FORGET IT!"

Naruto spun on his heel, irately mumbling under his breath as he stomped out the door. Sakura remained frozen for a second, unable to think—unable to breathe.

After a long, _extremely_ awkward silence, Sakura gave up pondering the _correct_ things to say. She quietly turned away from the disengaged boy, praying for a silent exit.

"He hasn't changed."

Sakura halted at the sound of his stoic voice. She turned slowly to face the dark-haired boy. Forcing a manufactured smile, Sakura squeaked a pathetic reply. "O-oh, yeah! That Naruto! H-he'll never change!"

Realizing that Sasuke was now staring at _her_, she chuckled uneasily, attempting to maintain her shaken composure. Her eyes searched for a distracting target to alleviate her vexed stature. Finally settling on an old scroll on the wall, her emerald eyes bore into it nervously like there was no tomorrow. She was _hoping_ Sasuke hadn't noticed the strange way she was acting—hoping, but obviously failing. In the corner of her eye, Sakura noticed Kakashi enter the room, but she continued to stare intensely at the scroll on the wall.

"So Sasuke, you ready to go?" Kakashi's smooth voice felt like redemption to Sakura.

Sasuke grunted irritatedly, picking up a small bag lying next his feet. His eyes flickered at Sakura briefly as he turned to leave.

Sakura glanced at Kakashi, a confused look pressed into her features. _Go? Where is Sasuke going?..._

A fierce look overcame Sasuke as he pushed past Kakashi angrily. He mumbled a few obscure words before slamming the front door behind him.

Kakashi chuckled softly, the rumble of his voice penetrating the awkward silence. Sakura said nothing; she just stared off in wonderment, attempting to comprehend the events that had just occurred.

Kakashi spoke up; the clarity in his voice salvaged Sakura from the maze in her mind. "Sorry I missed our training session." He glanced out the window momentarily. "It's late, but we can still finish our session at my house if you want."

Sakura nodded lifelessly, unaware of what she had really just agreed to. Turning to leave, Kakashi motioned Sakura to follow. She did, as always… Sometimes she felt like a helpless animal trailing behind its mother from the way she always followed Kakashi so blindly. She made a mental note, knowing that someday that would end up terribly.

As Sakura trailed closely to Kakashi's heels, she noticed a dark figure in the corner of her eye. Glancing over at the stranger, she realized it was a very scornful Sasuke leaning against the side of the estate with his arms crossed in, what seemed to her, disgust. Kakashi pressed on, not even taking a brief moment to acknowledge the dark-haired boy. Sakura's perplexed gaze drifted to Kakashi and back to the irate Sasuke. Her pace slowed as her mind circled and churned, attempting to make sense of the strange sight before her eyes.

Turning back to Kakashi, Sakura's legs broke into a jog as she realized how far ahead Kakashi was. Finally catching up to the indifferent silver-haired man, she gave him a cautious look from the corner of her eye. He didn't budge; he continued his apathetic strides towards his destination.

Glancing back, Sakura noticed the dark-haired figure leaning stiffly against the estate was now just a few paces behind her, his head tilted down as his slow pace pressed on.

She shot Kakashi a perturbed look. "Why is Sasuke… following us?" Her voice was soft and quiet as if she was saying something obscene.

"Because he is supposed to." He stated simply.

Sakura jaw dropped unknowingly in confusion. Was she missing something, or was she wrong to feel oddly disturbed? Sometimes she wondered if she was doomed to always being the last ignorant person left on the face of the earth.

She pressed on. "…supposed to?"

Kakashi's gaze remained stationary in front of him. "That's what I said. Otherwise, how is going to get to my place?"

Sakura's nose crinkled as disturbance overcame her. She felt ignorant, so she pressed on, knowing that it would take a few questions to get one, simple answer out of Kakashi.

"Your place?" Her voice _almost_ came out harshly.

He shrugged calmly. "Yeah, that's what I said…" He repeated that line again, making Sakura feel incompetent.

"Why does he need to go to _your_ place?"

Kakashi sighed, either out of frustration or indifference; either way she didn't care to figure it out at the moment.

"Because that's where he will be staying for now."

A million questions arose in Sakura's mind, but she swallowed them away, knowing that there would be no point in asking a person who didn't care to answer them. She was silent as she pondered, her feet dragging precariously. She listened to the soft padding sound of Sasuke's feet on the grass behind her.

She had never their imagined their meeting after two years would be anything like this. She had expected him to call her annoying and turn away from her coldly, leaving her silent and lonely. But here he was, trailing behind her silently as they walked towards their sensei's apartment—where they would both be _hanging out_ inside together. It was an extremely odd, awkward occurrence, at least for her anyways.

Kakashi broke her train of thought as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his keys with a jingling sound. Finally registering her surroundings, Sakura tilted her head curiously. A queer thought struck her as she gazed at the surroundings around her—despite all the years she had been acquainted with Kakashi, she had never visited his home or even knew where he live. She suddenly felt uncomfortable as she stood there in the front of his apartment, like she knew a dangerous secret that should never be uttered.

Kakashi pushed open the front door, allowing Sakura and Sasuke to enter. Sakura slid past him timidly, her eyes wandering covertly, swallowing every detail she could in the darkness. Sasuke, on the other hand, stormed inside with no regard to the darkness or the unfamiliarity of his surroundings.

His bag fell to the floor with a thud. "I am going to take a shower."

Sakura watched Sasuke as he rudely invited himself into his sensei's place of dwelling. He disappeared in the darkness where, Sakura assumed, the hallway was located. The thought of Sasuke taking a shower suddenly made her cheeks grow red…

Suddenly, a hot, startled chill shot down Sakura's spine as a hand snaked its way down to the crook in her back. A quiet squeak escaped her throat as the hand pushed her further into the darkness. Her heart pounded wildly, rattling in her ribcage.

"Are you afraid of something…?" Kakashi's warm breath tickled her earlobe, his voice unusually slow.

Her throat suddenly felt dry as she spun around quickly to face the silver-haired man. A flustered look washed over her face as she gazed back at him with uncertainty.

_What was that… feeling…?_

Her heart rate relaxed as she examined his features in the darkness. His half-lidded eye seemed hollow and emotionless as he gazed back at her lazily. Apparently, he hadn't realized the soft touch of his hand or the arousing sound of his voice the way Sakura had…

_I am imagining things… Kakashi-sensei would never…_

She shuddered at the thought of him, her _teacher_, seducing her. Something about it seemed so utterly wrong…

"Well, are you going to stand there all night staring, or are you going to take a seat?"

Sakura blushed with embarrassment and tilted her head down in shame. "Sorry, I just thought… nevermind…"

She timidly took a seat on the nearest sofa, biting her lip nervously. Kakashi shrugged, taking the seat next to her. He chuckled inwardly at the blush spreading across her face. She shifted uneasily, noticing the close proximity between them.

A small smirk curled underneath Kakashi's black mask. He loved how easy it was to make her feel uncomfortable. He pondered keeping it up, for the sheer thought of amusement.

She cleared her throat. "Kakashi-sensei…?"

He shifted his body closer; the warmth of his body made her tremble. "Hmm..?"

She fiddled with the hem on her black shorts. "Well, why is Sasuke going to be staying with you?"

"Because he has to."

She shot him an irritated glare. "I _know_ that already… but why?"

He leaned back on the sofa, stretching his arms out and sluggishly placing them behind his head. He was silent for a moment, then, "The Hokage put him on probation for three months under my rule."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? Why?"

He gave her a dumbfounded look. "Well, I don't know if you remember clearly, but he _did_ betray the village when he left to seek out Itachi with Orochimaru. Staying with me is his punishment."

Sakura panicked. "What? No, no… What about my training? I can't…"

"Why not?" The calm and composed tone in his voice irritated her even more.

"Well- because… because…" She sighed, exasperated. "I just can't!"

Standing abruptly, Sakura seethed with resentment. She wasn't about to put up with Kakashi's matter-of-fact attitude. But before she had a chance to stomp away, he grasped her wrist tightly and pulled her forcibly back down on the sofa. Sakura yelped as her head collided with his shoulder with a twinge of pain.

"_Why_ not?" His voice was laced with impatience, the cool, casual tone slipping away.

Realizing her right leg was resting intrusively over Kakashi's thigh, Sakura's face flushed deep red. She pulled her leg away hurriedly, turning her heated face away to hide her embarrassment. Kakashi grasped her other wrist and pulled her towards him until she was facing him.

"Answer me, Sakura."

She squeaked at the painful grip around her wrists. "I don't know!"

Kakashi loosened the grip around her wrists, frowning slightly. "I can't believe you…"

She furrowed her brows as she tilted her head down to alleviate the utter closeness between them. She could feel his eye boring into her, causing her heart to thump louder and louder. For a second, she could've sworn her heart was inching up her throat.

Kakashi sighed, maintaining the grip on the pink-haired girl. "I figured this would happen. I don't even know why I wasted my time on you…"

She glared up at him darkly. "Excuse me?"

"Well I thought maybe you _wanted_ to get over this weakness, but apparently I was wrong. You will always be the emotional Sakura I met years ago."

"Well, then I am sorry I wasted your precious time!"

She pulled on her wrists hard, trying to break free from Kakashi; but he was too strong… the harder she tugged… the closer he pulled her to his body. He inched her closer and closer until the space between their bodies diminished.

She pounded on his chest. "Let me go!"

"Ah, there's the Sakura I like."

She glowered at him, knowing that he had won the battle. "Fine! I will continue training with you! But it's only because I want to get stronger! Don't act like you can overpower me!" She sighed angrily. "Because you can't!"

Smirking slightly behind his mask, he raised a silver brow. "Oh, but I think I can…" He tilted his head towards the awkward position he had her locked in. "It seems to me that you are stuck in my grip."

Sakura's anger withered to nothing as yet another rosy blush crept up her face. The warmth of his body suddenly felt fiery as it seeped past her solid exterior.

_Why is he doing this…? And why the hell am I allowing it?_

She felt paralyzed, mesmerized, and, most of all, petrified. She stared back at him, mouth agape as his eye bore into her. Her mind surged as she tried to sort the emotions fluttering inside her.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway jerked Sakura back to reality. Her heart panicked, but she remained frozen...

_No! He can't see me like this!_

Kakashi glanced over Sakura's shoulder. "Ah, Sasuke, did you need something?"

The dark-haired boy gritted his teeth tightly, narrowing his eyes at the sight before him. Sakura could feel his rage pouring into the atmosphere.

"Yes. I did, but apparently, you are too busy to help me at the moment." His usual stoic voice seemed to smolder with vehemence.

"No, not at all. I was just having a chat with Sakura."

Raising his brow, Sasuke flickered his dark eyes in Sakura's direction. "I see…"

A thick, dismaying silence washed over the room as Sasuke continued to glare at Kakashi. Sakura shut her eyes tightly, wanting nothing more than vanish into thin air. At that moment, she would've given _anything _to get away from the disturbing events that were taking place.

"Well, if you wanted to know where your room is, it is down the hall to the right." Kakashi seemed so calm and impassive.

Sasuke growled under his breath as he quickly spun on his heel. He stomped down the hallway and slammed the door behind him, making the whole apartment tremble. Sakura opened her eyes slowly, apprehensively trailing them up Kakashi's face until they locked eyes. He was gazing back at her, a twisted smile hidden beneath his mask.

Finally releasing his grip on the pink-haired girl, he shifted his body away from her. The air stung Sakura's tepid skin, leaving her frigid and numb. And odd thought struck her as she suddenly wished Kakashi hadn't let go.

Her mind screamed for her to run away, but her body remained frozen. She felt bewildered and out-of-control, unable to determine what she was really feeling. Why was Kakashi acting that way? The thought of his warm body caused her to tremble, but she wasn't sure why. She never, ever thought of Kakashi as anything but her sensei. But now, she had doubts of what she _really_ thought about him. She pushed those thoughts away.

_No… I am just imagining things…_

Kakashi glanced over at Sakura. "It is getting kind of late… I guess you should go home now."

She nodded, unable to lock eyes with him.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

She shot him a startled look. "N-no, that isn't necessary. I can manage."

He shrugged lazily. "Okay, then, I guess I will see you tomorrow at five."

Standing abruptly, she turned on her heel, her back facing the silver-haired man. "Yeah, I guess so." Her voice squeaked with vexation.

Without a word, she walked towards the front door and slipped out. Immediately, she let out a sigh of relief. She suddenly felt safe in the dark, foreboding street. Anything would be better than staying in that apartment…

She walked hastily down the streets of Konoha, not even looking back once.

The funny part was Sakura was too dazed and befuddled to realize her trip to Kakashi's was completely in vain…

Not once did he train the pink-haired kunoichi like he said…


	4. Rule 2: Pushing Your Limits

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 4_

_Rule 2: Pushing Your Limits_

* * *

The bright morning light peered through the cracks in the curtains, piercing through the darkness of his narrowed eyes. Sasuke sighed heavily, displeased by every aspect of his surroundings. He glared at the silver-haired man in front of him as he watched him prepare his breakfast—a strange moment that he never imagined he would encounter.

The bubbling sound of boiling water broke the silence between them, and he seethed, wishing the pleasing sound of utter silence would return. Crossing his arms defensively, the dark-haired boy let his eyes wander to the table in front of him.

"So… you and Sakura seem awfully close now…"

Immediately, the air was filled with a thick, foreboding aura, but it didn't seem to affect either man as they sat distantly in the kitchen, awaiting their breakfast. It was the first thing that had been said all morning, and it was probably not the wisest thing to start the day with.

Kakashi turned to face the prying boy, a bowl of steaming rice in his hand. "Oh, really? Hmm… I never noticed."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes darker, until the only thing peeking through his eyelashes were two black orbs. "Don't play dumb with me."

Kakashi set the bowl down in front of the boy, shrugging slightly. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I really don't know what you are talking about."

Sasuke growled, clenching his fists until his the flesh on his knuckles turned white. He wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure _what. _Kakashi had an excellent talent of always being able to say the last word, regardless of the topic, and it infuriated him to no end.

The silver-haired man sat down at the table across from the enraged boy. He shrugged, pulling his bowl closer to him. "Besides, what's it to you? You never seemed interested in her life before. In fact, I remember you avoiding her at all costs…"

Sasuke beat his clenched fist on the table angrily, causing the small apartment to echo with rage. "Shut-up! I am not _interested. _I am just disgusted by the mere thought of it!"

"Oh… is that what that is?"

Sasuke stood abruptly, causing the small bowl of rice to tip over. Without a word, he turned away from the silver-haired man and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving the spilled rice cold and forlorn. Kakashi's half-lidded eye trailed towards the doorway of the kitchen as a small smirk graced his lips.

_He's going to regret not eating breakfast…_

* * *

A bead of warm sweat trickled into his eye, causing him to wince slightly from the pain. He quickly forced the pain away with determination as he pressed on, springing from tree to tree. His labored breathing made his body shudder, and he faltered slightly, his arm colliding with a leathery tree branch.

_Whoooshh!_

A kunai whizzed past his cheek and pierced through the bark of the tree next to him. He glared at it darkly, letting out a silent hiss of anger.

"Sasuke… you are lacking today. A shinobi of your stature _never_ falters."

The nonchalant tone in his voice made the dark-haired boy tremble with rage. _Damn him… he is wearing my stamina to nothing!_

Kakashi appeared at the tree next to him, a trail of puffy smoke dissipating around him. He was crouched down lazily, his eyes glued to the pages of the book in front of him. Sasuke glowered at him as he wiped a trickle of blood off his cheek.

They had been going at it for three laborious hours. At first, Sasuke fought back well, and even had the glorious chance to catch Kakashi off guard a few times. But that quickly diminished as a lack of nutrition stifled his body. He was weak and vulnerable now, his chakra practically withered to nothing.

Sasuke hadn't given up though, and he probably never would. The day an Uchiha gave up before death would be the day of the Apocalypse.

He lunged towards Kakashi, a shuriken in hand. Kakashi didn't even look up; he simply stepped aside, letting the dark-haired boy swing at the air viciously as he fell to the ground.

Kakashi peered down at the ground from the branch he was sitting at. "Are you done for today Sasuke?" He knew the answer, but he asked it anyway; he enjoyed pissing Sasuke off.

Sasuke growled; his body shook violently as he tried to pull himself into a sitting position. "Not until I take your life…"

Kakashi jumped down from the tree and kneeled before the dark-haired boy. "Well, at your physical condition, I really don't think that is possible… is it?"

Kakashi glanced down at the fatigued boy, expecting a dark glare; instead, he saw his eyes peering out into the distance, a determined look adorning his features. Kakashi followed his line of sight, narrowing his eyes to distinguish the figure in the distance.

Her rose-colored locks drifted in the wind, haloing her slouched figure. A shadow was cast over her tilted face, hiding her features from the sunlight.

Kakashi glanced up at the sky, studying the position of the sun. _It can't be five o'clock yet…_

As her figure approached, Sasuke pulled himself into a sitting position and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "What is _she_ doing here?"

Kakashi stood up silently, shoving his hands in his pockets. He ignored Sasuke's comment, studying Sakura as she approached them. She glanced up at them, a feeling of uneasiness washing over her as their intense stares bore into her.

Kakashi stepped forward to great the lethargic girl. "Sakura… What are you doing here?"

She blushed slightly, crossing her arms defensively. "Tsunade let me go early today…"

"Oh… I see."

"_Why?_ Did you do something wrong?" Sasuke's arrogant voice rang in her ears, causing her to wince slightly.

She turned towards him, an agitated look pressed into her features. "_No,_ I did not. She said I was too distracted to finish… or something like that."

"Distracted? By _what?_"

She hissed under her breath. "I don't know Sasuke…"

Kakashi stepped between the two young comrades, waving a disregarding hand at them. "It doesn't matter…" He sighed, turning towards Sakura. "But I _am_ going to have to work you harder for that. A shinobi should never be distracted during their line of work."

She nodded silently, letting her eyes drift to the ground. She suddenly wished she hadn't said anything. In fact, she almost convinced herself not to come to training at all. After last night, she wanted to avoid confrontation at all costs… at least until she had her emotions sorted out. The funny part was—Kakashi's actions weren't what bothered her so; it was _her _that bothered her… the way she acted… the things she said. She never expected herself to act so _strange_ around Sasuke. In the past, she would've thrown her arms around him and yelled _'Sasuke-kun!'_ Instead, she shied away timidly… more so than usual… and she actually _didn't _want to be around him. She felt tormented around him, almost insulted. The day he left Konoha, he had smeared her feelings in the ground like dirt, and, apparently, it had affected her heart more than she thought.

Sasuke scoffed, tearing Sakura away from her thoughts. "Whatever, I am going to take off…"

"Oh, no you're not…"

Kakashi held his arm out, blocking Sasuke's path. Sasuke glared back at him, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You may be the one who has to watch over me for now, but you are _not_ my slave driver."

Kakashi raised a sliver brow disbelievingly. "Oh? Last time I checked you were still a _genin_ and I was still your sensei." He paused, letting his eyes drift over to Sakura. "Now, you _are_ going to help me with Sakura's training."

Sakura's jaw dropped slightly, bewildered. She glanced over at Sasuke momentarily, registering the amused look on his face.

He smirked. "I am going to help _her_ train...?" He chuckled. "This should be interesting…"

Kakashi crossed his arms. "Don't let your head get too big. You will be my guinea pig per se…"

Sasuke furrowed his brows. "_Excuse_ me?"

Kakashi ignored him, turning towards Sakura lazily. "I need you to work on your stamina." He paused, observing the disgruntled look on Sakura's face. "You need to do as many sit-ups and push-ups you can to surpass Sasuke."

"What!" Sakura's voice squeaked confoundedly.

Sasuke simply chuckled, unable to contain his laughter. Sakura's eyes drifted between Sasuke and Kakashi with fret. _He has to be joking… There is no way I can beat Sasuke! Not even Naruto can beat Sasuke!_ Her heart began to pound clamorously in her chest; she felt as if her entire rib cage was getting ready to collapse.

"You have to be kidding sensei."

His impassive gaze remained unchanged. "No, I am not kidding…" He shot Sakura a warning look. "_And no use of chakra, Sakura."_

"What?" Sakura squealed. Without the use of her chakra, her strength was meager. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling the crushing pressure of defeat already.

Sasuke snickered. "Really, she is right. She can't beat me."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the arrogant boy. "We'll just have to see about that. Let's start with push-ups…"

Sasuke sighed heavily, getting on his hands and knees. He shifted his weight on his toes, letting his arms stabilize his upper body. "Come on, Sakura! Are you just going to stand there gaping?"

She swallowed insensibly, falling to a kneeling position. Her mind spiraled as she readied her body, shifting the weight of her upper body onto her arms. She had done this a million times, and each time, she felt like an insult to anyone who called themselves a ninja. She was not a woman of physical strength, and she probably never would be. She drew off her chakra to fix that weakness. But there she was, positioned adjacent to one of the most acclaimed ninja in Konoha, ready to challenge him in a competition in push-ups. Something about it seemed so unrighteous.

Kakashi reached in the pouch on his outer thigh, pulling out his familiar sensual novel. "Alright… you may begin."

She hesitated at first, but quickly lowered her upper body down and hoisted it back up until her elbows were virtually straight. She continued her movements in quick, fluid actions, determined to keep up with the dark-haired boy. In the corner of her eye she watched him avidly… _up… down… up… down…_ He seemed so swift at first—_one_ of her push-ups equaled _two _of his push-ups. She began to feel discouraged as she watched him hasten through his push-ups with ease. She gritted her teeth as the familiar burning pain surged through her arms, causing her whole body to tremble. Just when she was ready to give up:

"You falter only because you _think_ you can't, Sakura."

Kakashi's smooth, stoic voice filled her ears, distinguishing the pain momentarily. He was right… and she knew it. But how could she _not_ feel intimidated by Sasuke…?

She squeaked slightly at the pain, but pressed on. Everything inside of her wanted to give up, but something eerie in the back of her mind was telling her to proceed.

And just before her hopes surrendered to the burning pain, she noticed something in the corner of her eye:

Sasuke had faltered…

She watched him eagerly as his body trembled… _up… down… up…_ _pause…down..._

She couldn't believe what she was seeing… it was absolutely baffling. Sasuke had stumbled! She made a mental note to check and see if the sky was falling down on her.

A newfound endeavor surged through Sakura's body as she pressed on… _up… down…up… down…_ Her movements seemed to blur together as she picked up the pace, determined to beat out Sasuke. She had to be dreaming, she could _never_ beat Sasuke. But dream or not, it still felt gratifying…

Kakashi peeled his eye away from his novel, a small smirk curling underneath his dark mask as he peered at the pink-haired girl. Her rose-colored locks stuck to her forehead in moist clumps as sweat dripped down her face. Her emerald eyes were wide and bursting with ardor as she pushed her body up and down. A feeling of satisfaction washed over him as he watched her sustain her physical boundaries. He always seemed to know how to motivate Sakura beyond her mental limits, and she had no idea.

Glancing over at the dark-haired boy next to her, Kakashi frowned, noting the debilitated aura seeping from his outer exterior. He was pushing himself _way _beyond his limits, and his body was exemplifying it. If he pushed himself any longer…

"Sasuke, that's enough."

Sasuke brushed his words away like dust… _up… pause… down… up…_ His entire body quivered with every movement, but he wasn't ready to give up. He would never succumb to that.

"SASUKE! I said THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Kakashi lunged forward and pushed the steadfast boy on his side. His limp body skid through the dirt, emitting a puff of billowing dirt. Sakura let out a squeal of pain as her shuddering arms gave out beneath her and her shoulder collided with the rocky ground. She glanced over at Sasuke wearily, her chest heaving up and down in shallow, suffocating breaths. A feeling of anxiety swelled in her veins as she gazed at the struggling form he had become.

Kakashi crossed his arms condescendingly, peering down at the palpitating boy. He narrowed his eyes slightly, watching the dark-haired boy claw deliriously at his chest in attempt to calm his erratic breathing.

"You fool. You would push your limits to near _death_ out of stubborn pride?" He scoffed, shaking his head slightly. "You're pathetic…"

Sakura's eyes widened in horror as Sasuke's body fell limp, his face smearing into the dirt beneath him. Her kunoichi instincts reverberated as she lunged forward to cradle the unconscious boy. Panic struck her as she fearfully checked his vital signs, searching for any sign of movement…

She gawked up at Kakashi, a storm of trepidation swirling in her emerald eyes. He simply gazed back at her lethargically, obviously not as vexed by the situation as her.

"Leave him be Sakura. He just needs some rest. And when he wakes up, he will need some food and water."

A miniscule wave of relief washed over her as she released the catatonic boy from her grip. She sighed as she squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to lull the anxiety thumping wildly in her chest. She couldn't believe it; none of it made sense to her. She had _beat_ Sasuke. He had collapsed into a withering ball of unconsciousness, and there she sat—completely healthy and utterly unharmed. Should she feel proud? Disoriented? She wasn't quite sure…

Kakashi gazed down at the troubled girl. "Sakura, I swear he is fine. There is no need to look so dazed."

She peered up at him through her heavy eye-lids. "No, it's not that. It just doesn't make any sense…"

He kneeled down next to the pink-haired girl, sending her a reassuring look. "Sure it does. He has pushed himself all day without any food or water. Any shinobi, regardless of rank, would collapse the way he did."

Sakura remained silent, unable to lock eyes with her impassive sensei. She felt so empty, and she wasn't quite sure why. A small, proud part in the back of her mind seemed disappointed that she hadn't _really_ beat Sasuke. As sorry as she felt for him, she still felt piqued that she could barely beat an _overwrought_ Sasuke.

"Now there _is_ a lesson behind this. Can you guess it?" Kakashi's deep, expressionless voice filled her ears, suppressing her thoughts.

She gazed back at him queerly, her mouth slightly agape. "Umm… always eat breakfast?"

He chuckled slightly at her comment. "Not quite…" He glanced over at the limp dark-haired boy. "People like Sasuke, they have a problem controlling their stamina because they over exert themselves when they don't need to. Sure, he may pack a powerful punch when he needs to, but a successful shinobi is one that can _outlast_ an enemy, not overpower him."

She nodded dumbfoundedly. "Duh, Kakashi-sensei…" She shook her head haughtily. "You should be aware that I know things like this. I am the master of chakra control, _remember?_"

He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't go _that_ far…"

She glared at him disdainfully, her lower lip puckering out slightly. "Hey, that's not very nice."

He brushed off her comment, turning towards the slumbering boy at his feet. Lacing his arms underneath his shoulders, he hoisted the dark-haired boy onto his back. Without a word, he began making his way out of the clearing.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

He tilted his head towards the pink-haired girl, sending her a sluggish look. "I am taking him back to my house where he can rest. Are you coming?"

Sakura nodded silently as her legs broke into a brisk jog after Kakashi.

The entire way there, she remained silent as curious thoughts danced across her mind. Regardless of his physical exhaustion, she could mark that day as the day she surpassed an Uchiha…

* * *

Sakura sat timidly in Kakashi's strangely organized apartment, her eyes roaming across every detail, searching for something inept. She felt peculiarly swallowed by the earthly tones that the walls emitted; something she hadn't noticed in the darkness the night before. Everything seemed to have a certain place—a resourceful purpose, that is, except her.

She tapped her foot impatiently, suddenly overwhelmed by the utter silence. Everything inside of her seethed with regret. Why had she come to his apartment _again?_

A peculiar thought struck her as she restlessly awaited the return of her sensei—she was sitting… alone in his _bedroom._ Normally, it would be a perfectly normal thing to sit innocently in a friend's room, but this was Hatake Kakashi—a man of mystery. She wasn't _allowed_ to breech such territory. At least she thought so.

Letting her eyes trail over to the shelf above his bed, a glinting picture frame caught her eye. She reached over and gently cradled the picture in her hand, letting her eyes study the image before her.

It was a picture of team 7 when they were younger. Sakura was beaming happily in the middle between an orange-clad Naruto and a scowling Sasuke. Behind her, a smiling Kakashi cradled his team with pride.

Those were the good old days….

A hint of sorrow surfaced as Sakura analyzed the existence of team 7. Since Sasuke left Konoha, Naruto and Sakura had went their separate ways, and, inevitably, rarely saw much of each other. Sakura had spent all of her time training to be a medic, and Naruto spent his on various ranking missions. And despite the resentment she held for him in the past, she missed the annoying blonde-headed boy. He was always there to back her up if she needed a shoulder to lean on. But now, they had both matured, and although he was still the same old Naruto, he wasn't quite as passionate as he used to be—a quality she never imagined she would miss.

Solemnly returning the photo to the shelf, Sakura sighed wistfully. She missed those days sometimes. It seemed so easy, even though they thought it was so damn hard. Funny how life works that way—one minute you are _struggling_ only to find the next minute you will be _suffering_.

Her brows furrowed as her emerald eyes gazed off into the distance, focusing on nothing in particular but the melancholy. During those days, Sasuke and Naruto were around her all the time, and her parents were there to support her. Oh, how she took advantage of the things around her. But that's the human way, it can't be helped.

She bit her lip sharply to force away the emotional pain. She had no reason to get all expressive. Not there, in Kakashi's apartment. She didn't need him lecturing her on the importance of emotion control as a ninja.

She shook her head violently, attempting to somehow clobber the somber thoughts out of her mind. Finally realizing that shaking her head was only giving her a migraine, she let her eyes scan the room obstinately until a distracting target was found.

_Desk… jounin vest… scrolls… paper….._

_Oh! What's this?_

Her eyes landed on a small object carefully hidden underneath a scattered piece of paper. She reached over cautiously and gingerly traced over its rectangular form. In large letters it read: _Come Come Paradise: Vol. 4_

Sakura's eyes glinted with mischief as she snatched the book up and hugged it close to her chest. She scanned the room warily, searching for any form of life waiting to catch her in this devilish act.

She smirked wickedly as a feeling of victory surged through her body; everyone had always wondered what was in that book, and now she was about to be the first one to find out. She hadn't felt this satisfied in years.

Her heart pounded as she peeled open the pages cautiously, peering in them as if she were taking a peek in the men's restroom. The small words gawked at her mockingly, pleading her to read them. She glanced up at the door apprehensively before letting her eyes devour each naughty sentence.

Her first reaction was to giggle; it was too damn hilarious that such a casual man like Kakashi was reading this _smut_ daily. But as she read on, her light-hearted giggles slipped into profuse embarrassment as she blushed deep red from her forehead to the tip of her toes.

_People actually write this stuff?_

They say curiosity killed the cat, but, apparently, Sakura hadn't ever received that piece of advice, for she continued to read—mouth agape and eyes wide. She was too flustered to remember where she was or what she was _doing_. She just kept reading out of sheer, and, not to mention, dangerous curiosity.

In fact, she was so fascinated by her newfound embarrassment that she hadn't even noticed the tall figure slipping into the bedroom quietly…

"I wasn't very fond of that issue, but I see you are taking to it very well."

Sakura's heart flew out of her throat as she let out a shrill squeal. The novel flew in the air with a fluttering sound as Sakura ducked away from the silver-haired man. She peered up at him through laced fingers, attempting to hide the crimson red shade decorating her face.

He chuckled, retrieving the novel from its disheveled position on the floor. "You know, in the past I would've scolded you for looking at such inappropriate things, but now that you are older, it's just too damn amusing to stop you."

Her heart pounded furiously, and, for a moment, she felt as if her face was going to melt off. _What was I thinking! I should've known he'd catch me in the act!_

"W-what a-are you talking about, Kakashi-sensei?" She stammered foolishly, searching for the right words.

He sat on the bed next to her, tilting his head as he opened the pages up for her to see. "You know, sometimes it comes with pictures."

Her eyes trailed over out of imprudent curiosity, and she squeaked as she laid her eyes on the utterly naked figures. He chuckled as he watched her face blush even deeper, its color practically matching the red outfit she was wearing.

He threw the book aside, leaning towards the flustered pink-haired girl. "That kind of stuff doesn't just happen in books, you know?"

Her jaw dropped as she shot him an insulted look. "I know that! I am not thirteen years old anymore sensei! I know perfectly well what happens between a man and a woman when they are in love!" She spat her words out defensively, suddenly feeling strangely similar to her mother.

He shrugged. "I don't know, the look on your face seems to prove that wrong."

She crossed her arms, the red hue continuing to spread across her face. "I beg your pardon! Just because I feel embarrassed when I look at _smut_ doesn't mean I don't know what it is."

He smirked curiously underneath his mask. "Oh? So you aren't as innocent as I thought?"

She punched his arm out of defense, utterly offended by the words coming out of his mouth. "Pervert! My sexual life is something for me to know and you _never _to find out! So let's drop the subject because this conversation is getting us _nowhere!_"

He shrugged lazily. "Whatever you say…"

She wasn't quite sure what his comment meant, but she brushed it aside, too flustered to think at the moment. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. He actually had the balls to assume she was interested in such a dirty form of entertainment. Albeit, she was _interested_, but only out of curiosity, so it didn't count; at least not to her.

Pushing her thoughts away, Sakura's mind slipped back to reality—Sasuke—was he still asleep? Had Kakashi gotten him to stir in his sleep while she sat impatiently in his bedroom? And… wait… wasn't he supposed it be _with_ Kakashi?

"Kakashi-sensei? What happened with Sasuke? Where is he?" Her words fluttered out a little swifter than she expected.

He leaned back lazily on his bed, kicking his legs up drowsily. "He's fine… I was going to bring him in here to rest, but then I realized that I am an asshole, and don't particularly want to give my bed up to him."

She rolled her eyes; that was sure true. As collected as Kakashi was, he still had a sharp, sarcastic side to him that could gouge just about anyone's pride.

Suddenly realizing the awkwardness of the situation, she blushed, searching for another topic to approach. Her mind reeled and reeled, but no matter how hard she tried, everything seemed like the wrong thing to say at the moment—it was either too casual, too rude, or too difficult to say.

Noting her vexed state, Kakashi nudged her with his knee, attempting to catch her attention. "What's the matter? I don't embarrass you _that_ much, do I?"

She bit her lip nervously. "N-no, it's not that… it's just…" She turned towards him earnestly. "W-well, don't you think this is… _weird._ I mean, I am sitting on your _bed._"

He shrugged. "No, why would it be weird? It's not like we are _doing _anything…"

She blushed again, beginning to feel accustomed to the burning feeling emanating from her cheeks. Why was Kakashi suddenly making her feel so nervous all the time? Had he really changed that much during their time apart? Or rather, had _she_ really changed that much?

She shifted the subject again, attempting to distinguish her embarrassment, or, at least, sustain it. "Kakashi," She paused, searching for the right choice of words. "Why did Sasuke come back?"

Kakashi was solemnly silent for a few moments as his half-lidded eye gazed off into the distance lazily. She watched him worriedly, suddenly beginning to feel a bit paranoid by his rigid silence. "I don't know Sakura…"

The rest of the evening seemed cumbersome and suffocating to Sakura. Neither she nor Kakashi spoke much as they watched over Sasuke, impatiently awaiting his awakening. She felt like she was at fault for the awkward aura—like her words had brought a heavy burden onto their shoulders. But little did she know she was absolutely wrong:

Because it was the one, massive question that had been racking all their brains since he returned…

_Why…?_


	5. Bearer of the News

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 5_

_Bearer of the News_

* * *

It's funny how life works sometimes. One minute, you are completely sure you know what's going on, and the next minute, you feel like you have somehow entered an alternate dimension. The even more ironic part is that it happens so fast that you don't even realize the changes around you—like you get some sort of _amnesia_. Yet, still, there is a nagging feeling in the back of your mind, telling you that things definitely _aren't _what they used to be. But as a witless human, you push that nagging feeling away until a forced feeling of queer comfort washes over you.

At least, that's how Sakura felt.

She admitted she wasn't like any ordinary human, but she assumed most people reacted the same to drastic changes. So it was okay to act insensible about Sasuke re-entering her life… right? Maybe not… but that didn't stop her.

"What is _with _you?" A deep, bovine voice echoed in her ears, swallowing her in a painful embrace.

She glanced up at the dark-haired boy from beneath her rose-colored locks, her emerald eyes drowsy and listless. "Wha-… did you say something?"

He shook his head at her, narrowing his eyes slightly. An exasperating silence slipped between them as Sakura gazed off into the distance, her eyelids falling heavy over her glassy eyes.

They had been waiting for Kakashi for what seemed like _hours._ He had left them there in his living room alone… awkward… bored. Where he had gone? That was the pressing mystery.

Before slipping out the front door, he had called to Sakura in the other room and asked her to _watch over _Sasuke while he was gone. She laughed in his face at first, utterly amused by the idea. But once she peered up at him and registered his mirthless attitude, she swallowed her laughs away and nodded apprehensively in return. On the inside, however, she was laughing bitterly, unable to contain her amusement. It had to be a joke—how could someone like _her _guard someone like _him?_ Even if he did try to leave, it's not like she could _stop_ him.

Shaking her thoughts away, Sakura let her eyes drift over to the boy next to her, slumped in a very uncomfortable position. His arms were crossed as if he was trying to shield himself from something, and his bottom lip almost seemed to pucker in a fixed frown. She smirked slightly at the sight of him, erupting a soft giggle.

He glared at her. "What's so funny?"

She waved her hand at him in disregard, the smirk still plastered across her face. "Nothing…"

He was silent for a moment as he glared at her, his dark eyes boring into her emerald ones. The smug smirk on Sakura's face dissipated as she furrowed her brows in confusion. _Did I say something wrong…?_

He pulled his eyes away from her, then… "You're different."

She tilted her head curiously. "Oh? I guess this stiff boredom is getting to me."

"No. You just aren't the same as I remember you." His voice was stern and rigid, and it made Sakura shudder.

Was she? She couldn't quite seem to remember; she hadn't seen him in years when he showed up in Konoha. At first, the newfound existence of Sasuke in her life seemed to hurl a thorn into her daily life, but it had been weeks since he returned, and Sakura had molded her life around him. To her, it almost seemed like he had been there for _years._ Well, thanks to the help of Kakashi's _extensive _training.

She blushed as he stared back at her, impatiently awaiting a comment or defense. Words couldn't seem to formulate in her head, so she said the only thing that came to mind, "Oh? I wasn't aware of that."

"See. Right there." He pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're acting like Kakashi." The way he spoke reminded Sakura of Naruto, but she ignored it, tilting her head at him innocently.

Was she acting like Kakashi? She wasn't sure, but it didn't matter either way, because apparently Sasuke had noticed it. "What do you mean, Sasuke?"

He ignored her doting question. "And besides, don't you think you're spend a little too much time with him? I mean, he's your _sensei…_"

If Sakura wasn't totally thrown off, she could've _sworn _Sasuke was acting protective. Since when did he give a damn about the way she spent her time? She suddenly felt angry as she pondered that thought.

"What's it to _you?_" She glared at him through darkened eyes.

He growled. "I don't know! I just think it's strange! Ever since I came back you've been acting all distracted and absent-minded." He paused, scoffing under his breath. "Except when you are around Kakashi, of course."

That one stung. In fact, it stabbed so deep that Sakura's rage began boiling uncontrollably. She gritted her teeth at him, clenching her fists until her knuckles flushed white.

"I can't believe you! You're just upset because I don't hang on your every word anymore! What's the matter? Does that stab your massive pride!"

He bit his tongue indignantly until the foul, metallic taste of blood lingered in his mouth. He had never felt such a strange mix of rage and confusion. He had seen Sakura act this way, but _never _towards him, of course.

"Oh, please, don't flatter yourself too much."

Sakura trembled with fury as she narrowed her eyes at him sharply; it almost seemed like steam was pouring out her ears as she effortlessly contained her seething rage. She couldn't believe him, all those years she had spent following this arrogant boy—what was wrong with her? She was so damn dedicated, and thought she still was, but he had to go and cross the line.

A strange mix of insult and anger washed over her as she glared back at him, searching for some sort of comeback. And then, she said something that shouldn't have been brought up.

"What's your problem? You waltz back in Konoha and expect everyone to accept you the way they used to!" She turned her head away from him to hide the pain she was feeling deep inside. "_Where _were you anyways? You haven't told any of us what happened."

For a moment, Sasuke's coal-colored eyes darkened maliciously, emitting a chaotic storm of emotion. An icy chill traveled down Sakura's spine as she gazed back at him, utterly bemused by the change in his composure. An odd combination of guilt and fright echoed throughout her shuddering frame as she ducked away from him, awaiting the enraged dark-haired boy to lash out at her. But to her wonderment, he did not; he balled his hands into a tight fist and withdrew his emotions, letting his dark eyes wander away from her.

_What just happened?_

She stared back at him wide-eyed, unable to formulate coherent sentences. She suddenly wished she hadn't given him any attitude. Maybe he was best ignored and left alone.

Unable to stand the thickening silence suffocating her, she stood abruptly and waved a shaky hand at him. "Well, anyways, I-I just need to get some fresh air. I will be back in a moment."

Turning swiftly on her heel, she dashed out of Kakashi's apartment without looking back once. At that moment, she didn't give a damn what Kakashi would say to her about leaving Sasuke alone. She just wanted out, and as far away possible from the dark-haired Uchiha.

An image of Sasuke's raging emotion flooded her mind and she shivered, huddling her arms around her body to quell her shakiness. She had only seen Sasuke act that way a few times; and all times Orochimaru was involved. That thought frightened her so; she felt hollow and barren all the way to the marrow in her bones. Had she somehow awakened the curse?

Because, let's face it, _nobody _really knew what happened with that curse. In fact, _nobody_ even knew what Sasuke had been through during the years after to Konoha. Had he killed Itachi like he had hoped? Had he become the successor to Orochimaru? Or did he even stay in contact with Orochimaru? For all she knew, he could have been living off on some deserted island like a savage. It was doubtful, but with the lack of information she had, it had a chance of being true.

She suddenly felt morally delinquent for pushing Sasuke the way she did. She had no idea how emotionally stable he was. After Orochimaru's curse… who knew? He could be like a raging wildfire waiting to be lit. But the worst part of it was—deep down inside, she didn't want to push Sasuke. She wanted to fall over him and yell "Sasuke-kun!", just like her former self. Because, despite how tough her exterior was around him, she still loved him. She still grew dizzy and flustered when she stood next to him. She still snuck in hidden stares whenever possible, and she still longed for him.

He was her hopes and dreams in the past, but now, he was a latent infatuation.

However, Kakashi's training _had_ helped. She actually acted _normal_ around him. She had learned to put up an apathetic façade around him; so much so, in fact, that she started _convincing _herself that she didn't love him. Though, deep down her heart was still aching.

The funny part was she had no idea _how _Kakashi's stamina training had helped to train her emotions. Too bad she was too credulous to realize it wasn't the _stamina _training that was helping her; it was _simply_ Kakashi that enlightened her.

"Going somewhere?"

Sakura let out a shrill squeak at the sound of his voice. She turned abruptly to face him, a skittish look etched into her features. "K-kakashi-sensei! Back already…?"

He stepped towards the pink-haired girl, crossing his arms with dominance. "I thought I told you to watch Sasuke."

She chuckled nervously. "O-oh…. yeah! I am watching him! Y-you see, I just needed some fresh air, so I decided to, you know, s-step outside and-"

He had seen that act from her before. "What did you do, Sakura?"

She stared back at him flabbergasted. "I don't know what you are talking about, sensei. He's sitting inside. Last time I checked he was reading a book."

He raised a silver brow at her disbelievingly. "A… book? Right…" He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "Sakura, I don't think you _understand_ how much trouble I would get in if Sasuke went missing again. He is under _my_ authority, and anything that he does is _my _fault."

Turning on his heel, the silver-haired man sighed, making his way towards the apartment. He hadn't given Sakura a chance to formulate a rebuttal, and, frankly, she was glad. She didn't have much to argue against because she _was_ the one at fault. And besides—it's Kakashi—he always wins at arguments.

A wave of tension washed over Sakura as she followed closely behind the aggravated jounin. She _really_ didn't want to go back in that apartment and face Sasuke, but it was an inevitable moment she just couldn't possibly avoid. She just hoped to god that Sasuke wasn't acting the way he was when she left the apartment, because if she noticed his strange eruption of emotion, then Kakashi would _definitely_ notice it. And if Kakashi noticed it… well, she wasn't really sure what would happen. But it definitely wasn't something she wanted to think about.

Kakashi pressed the front door open with a sigh, immediately laying eyes on the dark-haired Uchiha. He was simply… sitting. His arms were crossed across his chest as he slumped in the couch rigidly. His fixed gaze was apathetic and disinterested as the two shinobi entered the apartment. Not exactly an action Kakashi expected; or Sakura either, for that matter.

Sakura relaxed her tense muscles as a look of bewilderment washed over her. She wasn't expecting him to be sitting in the same position she had left him. She was _at least _expecting him to be a flaming ball of rage and fury, but to her bafflement—he was not. He was composing himself as if nothing had happened.

His dark eyes trailed over to the silver-haired figure. "Where the _hell_ have you been?"

He shrugged idly. "Does it matter?"

"Yes. It does. What makes you think you can keep me cooped up in your apartment while you are off doing whatever the hell you want?"

"If you didn't like it that much why didn't you just _leave?_"

Sakura stifled a chuckle behind a crooked smile. Watching Sasuke and Kakashi bicker like a married couple was wildly entertaining. She had never seen Sasuke act so… defensive.

The dark-haired boy stood abruptly. "Whatever. You can stay with _her_ in your stuffy apartment if you want, but I'd rather not…" As he stepped towards the front door, hands shoved apathetically in his pockets, he turned his narrowed eyes towards his sensei. "I'm sure you _want_ to anyways."

Sakura crinkled her brows furiously. Why was he always addressing her like that—never saying her name; she was always just _her_ to him, never _Sakura_.

Kakashi shrugged as the dark-haired boy pushed past him. Sakura watched in wonderment at the sight before her. He was just letting Sasuke leave! After that whole spew about _'anything he does is my fault'_! What was wrong with this picture?

"Wait Sas-"

Kakashi cut the fumbling pink-haired girl off, holding his gloved hand to her mouth. She shuddered as his warm fingers brushed against her cheek, causing an obscure sensation to quake throughout her body.

"Let him go…"

His smooth voice swallowed her in a numbing disablement. She watched unwillingly as Sasuke closed the door behind him, his dark eyes never leaving hers until the opening in the door converged, leaving Sakura in silence. Kakashi's hand remained compressed to Sakura's reddened face as the stiff silence consumed them.

Before Sakura had a chance to speak up, Kakashi's voice arose, distinguishing the questions in her mind. "He'll be fine. He won't go anywhere. He knows the consequences."

Finally peeling his hand away from her mouth slowly, Sakura gasped, the open air leaving her skin tingling. He gazed down at her lazily, somewhat amused behind his dark mask. He had successfully made her nervous once again.

Suddenly aware of the ability to use her mouth again, Sakura stammered, attempting to ignore the shaken discomfort in her demeanor. "B-but… what about…"

She wasn't sure what she was trying to say, so she shut up, letting her eyes drift to the floor. In fact, she wasn't even sure what she was _feeling._ She was being torn between many emotions—confusion, calamity, guilt. And not all of them had to do with Sasuke; something about the feel of Kakashi's hand on her skin disturbed her all the way to the pit of her stomach.

"If you were wondering where I was, I was with Tsunade in a meeting."

She glanced up at him, disturbance still etched in her features. "Oh?..."

"She told me to tell you that she wants to speak with you as soon as possible."

Sakura's heart caught in her throat as her eyes widened. What had she done wrong? She had to admit she _had _been distracted lately, but did that mean Tsunade was resigning her? That was the last thing that she wanted to happen. She didn't want to give up being a medic-nin, it was the only thing keeping her motivated as a weak shinobi.

Her voice cracked slightly as she gazed up at Kakashi with worried eyes. "W-what did she… say to you?"

An impartial emotion flickered in Kakashi's eyes momentarily. "Don't worry. It's nothing you have to worry about."

She nodded apprehensively, unable to comfort herself with his words. A thought of Sasuke flashed in her mind, causing her heart to twinge with pain. He was always doing this to her—he was always bringing her down, making her weak.

"… _I am destroying you and you don't even know it…"_

Thoughts of her dream continued to haunt her each day. Fortunately for her, she actually hadn't dreamt that nightmare since the night Kakashi agreed to train her. But, still, it weakened her heart every time she looked at Sasuke because all she could see was that damned dream: the faceless Sasuke, the manic Sasuke. Was it some kind of message she was failing to decipher? She wasn't sure, but all she was thinking was—_am I giving up my shinobi path for my weakness for Sasuke?_

Noting the perplexed look on her face, Kakashi leaned forward, forcing her troubled emerald eyes onto him. "I told you; you don't have to worry about it."

She nodded, forcing a manufactured smile. "I know… I know. I better get going then if she wants to speak with me."

Kakashi nodded silently, stepping away from her. She sent him a concise look of regard as she stepped towards the front door.

"I will be back in a little bit."

She wasn't sure why she said that to him. She definitely didn't need to come back to his apartment afterwards, but she had found she had been doing that lately—making excuses to spend time in his quiet apartment. In fact, she spent very little time at home, unable to fight the loneliness it illustrated. Somber thoughts of her deceased parents always seemed to attack her when she was the most vulnerable to loneliness, and apparently, Kakashi's apartment had somehow prevented that to happen.

Without a word, she exited his apartment, intent on discovering the news Tsunade was about to bear upon her. For a moment, the dread inside her was quelled by one single thought—Kakashi.

He would be there when she got back, and, if she needed it, comfort would be waiting as well.

* * *

"You _had_ to see this mission! It was unbelievable! I kicked so much butt!"

Naruto's sharp, distinct voice echoed in his ears, causing him to shudder in disgust. Really… how had he ended up here?

He had left Kakashi's apartment for repose, not annoyance. Yet, somehow, he ended up at the Ramen stand with the kyuubi-bearer and all his stupid friends. How exciting…

"I'm sure it was boring…" Shikamaru responded lazily, slouching over the counter of the ramen stand.

"Hell no! Those Mist ninja had no idea what was coming!"

Shikamaru scoffed sourly, completely uninterested in the blonde-haired boy's 'exciting' mission.

"That's right, Naruto! Don't ever give up!" Rock Lee stood abruptly, voicing his advice to the vain boy next to him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes partially at Lee. As much as his Taijutsu impressed him, he was still really, really… damn annoying.

Droning out of their useless conversation, Sasuke narrowed his eyes as thoughts of Sakura filled his brain. He wondered what the hell about her was bothering him so much lately. He admitted he hadn't really left on good terms with her when he sought after Itachi, but he wasn't expecting her to be so different when he came back. And he definitely wasn't expecting to be so ruffled by it. Why did she seem so… close to Kakashi? And why in the _hell_ did that thought infuriate him? Both Sakura and Kakashi were their own people; they had every right to do what they wanted, right? That's what the old Sasuke would've thought, but the _new_ Sasuke wasn't sure what he thought.

"Sasuke! What's your problem! I was talking to you!"

Naruto's irate voice rang in his ears, causing him to narrow his eyes as a simple response.

"It's not like whatever you had to say was important…"

Naruto growled, attempting to lunge towards the dark-haired boy, but, to his dismay, Shikamaru grasped the back of his coat tightly, keeping him in a fixed position.

"Naruto has a point, Sasuke. You're acting like more of an ass than usual. What's your problem?" Shikamaru's reserved voice questioned his silent barrier.

He furrowed his brows, slipping into an angry silence. So maybe he _did_ have a problem, but it's not like he was going to spill it to them, or so he thought.

"Has anybody noticed how weird Sakura is acting?" Lee's voice vocalized his thoughts for him, and Sasuke inwardly sighed in relief. He didn't particularly like attention to be turned towards him.

Shikamaru released the grip on Naruto's coat as they all turned their attention towards the fumbling pink-haired girl making her way down the street. She seemed so lost in thought, so withdrawn from the outside world.

Naruto piped up, determined to figure out what was wrong with her. "What do you mean? I haven't seen her lately…" A hint of sorrow laced his voice as he softened his eyes at her. He really did miss her…

"That's the point. She has been spending an awful lot of time with Kakashi-sensei. Is she training for something?" Lee inquired, turning to face the blonde-headed boy.

Sasuke snorted at his comment, attempting to stifle his arising laughter. "Yeah… training. Good call fuzzy-brows."

The bowl-headed boy tilted his head at him. "What are you saying? My cherry blossom is cheating on me! No! Say it isn't so!"

"Shut up, brows. She isn't your girlfriend."

"It's not like you have much to say either, Naruto! You haven't gotten as far as I have with her!"

"Guys, please… this is pointless. Sakura's life is her life. Not yours. She can do what she wants." Shikamaru waved a hand at the two bickering boys, a tired look washing over him.

They nodded at their friend, letting their eyes drift over to the retreating pink-haired girl. Both of them seemed concerned for her… and their chances. Was she really… _interested_ in Kakashi? Sasuke's comment had inferred that she was, but he didn't directly say what he meant.

"Say, Sasuke… what did you mean by that?" Naruto's voice seemed soft and troubled.

He scoffed, shaking his head as he stood solemnly. "Nothing, nevermind…"

Without a word, he turned away from the confused group of shinobi, making his way towards the kunoichi in the distance. He didn't care what they thought of Sakura, or him for that matter.

He was hell-bent on one thing only—deciphering the actions of the pink-haired girl who was slowly unsettling him more and more as the minutes passed.


	6. Poisoned Mind

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 6_

_Posioned Mind_

* * *

She knew he was there—following her, pursuing her. But she just did not give a damn at the moment.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, letting out an exasperated sigh. What the hell did he want from her anyways? She admitted that if she were in a fair mood, she probably would want him to pursue her.

But not now. Not when she was so irritated. Or was it deranged? She knew somehow it was most likely both.

She gritted her teeth angrily, not even turning to look at the irritating entourage following her. "Can I help you, Sasuke?"

He didn't say anything, and she was expecting he wouldn't; she just wanted to let him know that she wasn't exactly _enjoying _him trailing at her every step.

A puff of smoke appeared next to her, revealing a very disgruntled Sasuke. As the smoke dissipated around his figure, he turned to face her, a determined look pressed into his features.

"Hey, Sakura. You headed to _Kakashi's_ apartment?" Sarcasm laced his prideful voice, making a wave of rage ripple through her body.

She darkened her eyes. "I don't really think it matters where I am going… does it?"

He shrugged. "Maybe… maybe not. Depends on _why_ you would be headed there."

She ignored his comment, fighting back the urge to use her ninjutsu and disappear out of his sight. It would be the easy way out, she decided, and she didn't want to let him know that it bothered her when he made comments about her and Kakashi. Though, it _did _piss her off more than anything.

She scoffed under her breath, finally turning to face the dark-haired Uchiha. "Why the _hell_ are you following me, Sasuke?"

"I'm not following you. I just happened to be going to the same destination as you."

She stopped in her tracks, crossing her arms defensively. "What makes you think we are going to the same place?"

"Well, because you are going to Kakashi-sensei's apartment… and so am I."

She sneered at him, turning her chin up towards him. "I _never_ told you I was going there."

"Yeah, so. That's where you are going…. Right? It doesn't matter if you _told_ me you were or not."

She raised a thin finger at him and shook it vigorously as if she were scolding him. "I am _not_ going there, as a matter of fact."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets calmly, turning to face the infuriated pink-haired girl. "So, where are you going then?"

She gritted her teeth as a thick silence swallowed her. She couldn't say she was going home; that was on the _other _side of the village. She couldn't say she was headed to the store; she had already passed that part of the village up a few miles ago. Her mind reeled and reeled, searching for a clever, logical answer to uphold her cocky, determined attitude, but alas, nothing arose. Suddenly, her defiant composure dissolved as the silence consumed her. She tilted her head down in shame, inwardly knowing that the meddlesome boy had won the argument.

He smirked pompously at her withering composure. "That's what I thought…"

She shook her head at him slightly, knowing that his ego had most likely expanded ten-fold. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Sasuke was _extremely_ talented and could win a battle in almost anything, even a petty argment. As a shinobi, he could mirror a jutsu in weeks or even days, and then, on top of that, he could execute it perfectly as if he had known it for years. In the past, his utter perfection as a shinobi always seemed to bring Sakura's confidence down. She felt as if she could never be at the same level as him—as if she was a worthless obstacle to him. Maybe she was; she never cared to ask.

"What were you doing earlier?" His deep, confident voice softened slightly, and it almost startled the pink-haired kunoichi. For some reason indescribable, a soft, pink blush crept up her face.

She knew what he was talking about. But it wasn't exactly something she wanted to talk about at the moment. Her meeting with Tsunade was shameful for her, and she _definitely _didn't want to share it with Sasuke, of all people. She suspected he would laugh at her, call her annoying, and frankly, make her feel like shit. So, she dodged the subject as best as she could.

"I don't know what you mean…" Her voice was shaky and timid, clearly alerting her true emotions. She often did that—wore her emotions on her sleeve. It was something she tried to avoid, but always failed miserably at.

He stepped closer to her, motioning her to continue. The warmth of his body seeped into her protective barrier, making her shudder in a strange mix of pleasure and fright. Slowly trailing her swirling emerald orbs up his face, she swallowed away the stinging sensation in her throat.

"It's nothing, Sasuke. It really doesn't matter, okay?"

She turned away from him, squeezing the surfacing tears back in her eyes. Why was she crying…? It didn't matter… did it? He grasped her hand softly and pulled her back towards him slowly. Her eyes widened as he locked his coal-colored eyes on her, searching for any miniscule hint of truth in her eyes.

"Why are you lying, Sakura?"

Her heart pounded furiously in her chest as she stared back at him, mouth agape. The red hue spreading across her face deepened as his eyes bore into hers. Nostalgia resurfaced in her mind as she scrambled to say something—anything—to break the familiar spell he was casting on her. After all of those years, she suddenly remembered why she liked Sasuke so much.

Finally giving in to his intense stare, Sakura sighed, pulling her arm away from him. "Fine, if you want to know that much, I guess I will tell you."

He stepped away from her slowly, stuffing his hands in his pockets to recuperate his apathetic stance. She sighed softly, letting her breath carry away her apprehensive thoughts.

"I was in a meeting with Tsunade… and… she…" She paused, letting her eyes drift to the ground in shame. "She told me that my training with her would be suspended for a few months." The words drifted off her tongue and fell to the ground with a clattering sound. She felt crestfallen repeating the very words that upset her moments ago, and she suddenly remembered why she _didn't _want to tell Sasuke in the first place.

He was silent as he stared back at her. An indifferent look graced his face, and it almost made Sakura feel angry. There she was, pouring out her shameful regrets to him and he was just… staring at her! What the hell?

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "What? Does it make you happy that I _failed_ again?"

He shrugged. "Well, how do you know you failed?"

She shot him a confused glare. "What? Well, maybe because she told me she didn't want to train me anymore!"

"So. That doesn't mean you _failed._ Maybe as Hokage, she has other important things to do. It doesn't automatically mean it's about _you._"

Her jaw dropped as a strange, foreign emotion surged throughout her body. Was he mocking her? Or was he just being blatantly obvious? Either way, it was pissing Sakura off.

She glowered at him before turning away from him. She wasn't about to put up with his ego boost at the cost of her shame. "Whatever, Sasuke, just because you don't have anything important to _you_ doesn't mean you can insult the things I _live_ for."

Without a word, she quickly formulated a few hand signs and disappeared, leaving a puff of fluttering flower petals.

Sasuke's eyes trailed over to the showering petals, a strange look pressed into his features. Everything inside of him was struggling to be mad at the hot-headed kunoichi, but for some reason all he could feel was…

Confusion.

* * *

Kakashi sighed lightly, pulling of his hitai-ate and letting it drift to the floor with a clattering sound. He shut his eyes tightly, and laid back on his bed, the soft, tingling feeling of comfort spreading across his lethargic body. He wasn't sure why, but he was really damn tired.

Maybe putting up with Sakura's explosive emotions and Sasuke's bitter tongue was a bit too much for the copy-ninja. Whatever the reason, he wanted nothing more than to drift into slumber. _Only for a few hours_, he thought to himself…

But before he had a chance to repress his alert mind, he felt it—that familiar, ardent feeling of her chakra. And from the sensation of it, he could tell she was upset—very upset.

He squeezed his eyes tightly, letting out a sigh of annoyance. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he should've known she would come back. Sakura was very malleable, and if her heart or pride needing mending, she would fix it as soon as possible, usually at the cost of _his_ time or amusement. Most of the time, he didn't mind at all. But not today; not when he was so… damn… tired.

He heard the door of his bedroom creak open as a wave of her erratic chakra flooded the room. He laid there very, very still… hoping… praying… she would turn around and leave. But to his dismay, she stepped in slowly, shutting the door behind her quietly.

She glanced at his sleeping form apprehensively, fighting back the urge to turn around and leave. But for some queer, unfathomed reason, she pressed on, tip-toeing towards his bed slowly. She knew he would be furious if she woke him in his slumber, but the curiosity inside of her was taking over, pushing her closer and closer to him.

Finally reaching the edge of his bed, Sakura peered at him timidly, suddenly aware that, for once in her life, she was gazing at a Kakashi with _h__is guard down_.

_No way._

Moments like this _never_ come to people like Sakura. She couldn't believe it. He _had _to be awake… either that, or dead. But considering his peaceful composure, she figured he was most likely _not_ dead.

A devilish thought entered her mind as she peered down at his lifeless figure—she had never seen behind his mask. Could it be? Now was her chance to finally get a peek…

A sly smirk curled on her lips as she slowly reached forward, determined to see what was hiding behind that mask. She suddenly felt like a childish school-girl getting a thrill from breaking the rules. At the moment, she _knew_ the dangerous consequences, but she didn't give a damn—the thrill of toying with the perfect copy-ninja was just too rewarding.

But just as she was about to lace her fingers underneath the mask, a strong hand reached up swiftly and grasped her wrist tightly. She squeaked slightly as he opened his eyes slowly and peered up at the mischievous kunoichi, a disgruntled look washing over his features.

"Can I… help you with something?"

She chuckled uneasily, attempting to disguise her previous intentions. "Oh… I was just… uh-… I was…"

He smirked at her nervous composure. "There are only two people that can see behind my mask—the first one… is me. The second one… is my lover." He paused, noting the discomforted look on her face. "Now, I know you aren't _me_… but tell me, Sakura… are you my _lover?_"

She blushed a deep crimson hue as she stared back at him wide-eyed, unable to formulate coherent words in her mind. She opened her mouth to retaliate a definite _NO_, but the only thing that escaped her lips was a silent squeak. Her—his lover! That was so, so utterly wrong, she thought. She was his student and was practically half his age… what a derogatory thought! Sakura knew these things and complied to them, but for some formidable reason, the thought of Kakashi as her lover excited her at the same time.

Kakashi smirked, noting the flustered look on Sakura's face. He knew what he said would fuddle her… he liked watching her fidget. It was a strange comfort he had gained when he started training her. It was something he could never explain… something he would never admit to. But damn, it was really amusing.

Releasing the grip on her wrist, Kakashi sat up, running a hand through his disheveled silver locks. "So, I assume by elimination… you will never be able to see behind my mask."

She narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling a strange twinge of dejection. She would never admit to wanting to be close to Kakashi, but after he rejected her right to see behind his mask, she felt a little hurt. Would she ever get close to Kakashi? Or would he remain the mysterious copy-nin throughout the extent of their relationship? It was something she figured as a touchy issue, and there would only be one sure-fire answer—yes or no. And from the looks of it, she was heading towards a big fat _no._ Kakashi would remain Kakashi—mysterious, enigmatic, silent—regardless of the lapse of time they spend together.

She shook her head slightly, attempting to shake away her thoughts. She _definitely_ didn't want Kakashi to see that she was offended by his comment, so she sighed, letting her mind shift to the reason why she came in the first place.

"I spoke with Tsunade-sama earlier…"

He nodded. "Ah…"

She let out a heavy, strained sigh as she plopped on his bed, ready to pour her heart out. Sasuke's arrogance hadn't helped her at all, so maybe Kakashi's heedful, parental ways could.

"She won't be training me anymore!" She released her words a little too quickly, and they seemed to blur together as a pathetic whine.

Kakashi smirked slightly, raising a silver brow at the juvenile kunoichi. Sakura was the brightest student in her day, and it always seemed to baffle Kakashi that she could act so immature when it came to her emotions.

"And…?"

Her jaw dropped in bewilderment. "What do you mean _and?_ This is serious! I am no longer a potential shinobi in the Hokage's eyes!"

"Well… is that what she said?"

She stared back at him awe-struck. "What the hell do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Well, if that's not what she actually _said_ to you, then you have no right to think that she doesn't think you are a good student anymore. Maybe she has something else important to do for a while."

Sakura felt like she had been slapped in the face. The conversation with Kakashi was suddenly beginning to feel reminiscent to the conversation with Sasuke. Was she the only one who viewed her situation as a serious matter?

She furrowed her brows at him. "That's what Sasuke said! How can you guys think this isn't serious?"

He sighed, shaking his head in annoyance. "I never said it wasn't serious Sakura. I just said that Tsunade still thinks you are a good student. You are blowing this way out of proportion."

She crossed her arms defensively. "Well, how do you know she still thinks I am a good student? Did you talk to her personally about this matter?"

He narrowed his eyes at her slightly as the twinge of irritation grew larger and larger in his mind. "Yes, actually. I did."

"Well, then... is that what she said?"

Kakashi sighed heavily. He was hoping he wouldn't have to resort to telling her the truth, but at the rate he was going, he would be arguing with her for _years_. And that was definitely something he did not want to put up with… ever. He may have been a man that could win just about any argument, but that didn't mean he _enjoyed _the process of it.

"If you want to know the truth, I asked Tsunade-sama to take a break from training you for a few months."

Her jaw dropped so far it felt like it was getting ready detach itself from her skull. As she stared back at him wide-eyed, her mind plummeted to a state of panicking frenzy. His words swished in her ears mockingly but she just could not believe them; what the hell was his problem?

She had never felt such a strong fusion of rage and bewilderment. She wanted to be mad at him for taking _her_ life into _his_ hands, but her confusion was fuddling all of her thoughts. She attempted to formulate something… _anything…_ to express how she felt, but everything in her head seemed to contradict itself, so, she did the only possible thing she could do at the moment—remained silent.

He sat up to face the dazed kunoichi. "She thought it was best for you, anyways. We both decided that, to become an efficient medic-ninja, you needed to work on your physical and emotional strength, and she just didn't have time, so the job was assigned to me."

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, knowing that she had to say _something._ Trying her best to push away her emotions, she sighed, taking a handful of Kakashi's shuriken decorated comforter. "Why…?"

"Well, because I was already training you, and I know _all_ of your strengths and weaknesses."

Did he really? Sometimes she wondered, but he obviously hadn't realized that she would be upset if he suspended her training with Tsunade…

Sakura stared back at him, finally noting his crimson red sharingan eye. For some reason, despite how long they had been conversing, she hadn't noticed that his hitai-ate was misplaced. She felt a strange sensation wash over her as she peered back at the deviant Kakashi in front of her. She had seen him without his hitai-ate before, but had never _really_ looked at him this way. It was as if he was accepting her in a new light… and it excited her present mood a bit. She felt as if all of her anger and confusion slipped away in one single moment.

Finally realizing the loop-hole in his barrier that Sakura had weaned her way through, Kakashi reached down and picked up his hitai-ate. But as he reached up to return it to its usual position, a small, timid hand reached forward and pulled it down into his lap. He glanced up at her, a confused look in his eyes.

Her heart pounded insensibly as Inner Sakura screamed at her: _What the hell are you doing? Leave him alone!_

She swallowed away the lump in her throat, clobbering Inner Sakura in the back of her mind. The familiar crimson hue crept up her face as she stared back at him, taken aback by her very own actions. And then, she said something she wasn't intending on voicing:

"Why do you always hide things from me?"

An unknown emotion flashed in Kakashi's eyes momentarily as he backed away from the prying kunoichi. He let his eyes wander away as he attempted to maintain his apathetic exterior. "I hide things from _everyone_ Sakura. It is just the way of life I choose."

A twinge of pain struck her heart, and she wasn't quite sure why. For some reason, at that moment, she wanted him to let her in. But she should've known; it was just how Kakashi was. He didn't share much with people. Yet still, something inside of her was hoping that he would accept at least her—his student and friend.

She nodded solemnly, knowing that breeching the subject anymore would be foolish. She would gain nothing out of it, and it was a path that did not need to be tread upon at the moment.

As a thick silence flooded the room, Sakura shuddered, knowing that nothing else needed to be said at the moment. She had no reason to sit next to Kakashi anymore; he had answered her questions about Tsunade's decision, and that was the sole reason she came in the first place. Therefore, she felt it was her time to leave. Besides she needed time to think—to sort her thoughts.

She stood up shakily, tilting her head down as a respectful gesture. "Thank you sensei. I know now that I do not need to be upset about Tsunade's decision."

She turned to leave silently, keeping her eyes peeled away from the silver-haired man. He nodded in regard, knowing that he would finally be getting what he wanted—time alone. But for some reason, there was something unsettling in the pit of his stomach as he watched the retreating kunoichi.

She exited his apartment promptly, maintaining the silent aura around her. She knew she had no _reason_ to feel confused about her visit to Kakashi's, but there were so many recent, anonymous emotions that were nagging at her. In the past, she had never really cared to know about his mysterious ways. But now that she was closer to him, she felt almost _hurt_ that he didn't want to share things with her. _Why? _She wondered…

_Why do I give a damn?_

The things she had encountered that day were so queer… so out of place. First, Sasuke exploded in storm of scary emotions when she asked him what happened after he left Konoha. Then, even more strangely, he _followed_ her, and actually seemed concerned and interested in what was going on her life. That could've been the icing on the cake… but to top it off _even more_, her conversation with Kakashi had aroused so many bizarre thoughts and emotions. She was caught between many dissimilar thoughts and feelings that were all sustained by one common emotion—confusion.

So many questions attacked her mind—why? How? What was really going on? She was even astounding herself. Somehow, she had actually obtained the ability to talk back to Sasuke, and, even more amazingly, be annoyed by his presence. Did the day he left Konoha scar her more than she thought? Apparently so…

Whatever the reason, she had a newfound battle going through her head every time she was near him. Every sensible piece inside of her was telling her to give up on him, but nostalgia always kicked into gear and aroused the very emotions she tried to push away.

She was hurting herself more than she was years ago when she fell in love with him in the first place.

When Sakura got home that night, she sat aloof in her lonely apartment, the quiet sounds of the outside village surrounding her. Everything inside of her was struggling to drift into slumber, but no matter how hard she tried… she just couldn't. She tossed and turned, disheveling her blankets and sheets, but alas, sleep denied her as struggling thoughts attacked her lethargic mind.

She wanted to know—to understand—the strange emotional phase she was going through. What would come of her extended training with Kakashi? Would she be able to contain the strange, new way she perceived him? And Sasuke—would she be able to control her emotions around him and, eventually, push away her childhood love for him?

Well, the only thing she knew for sure was—her mind was poisoned. And if she didn't discover a cure for it soon…

She would be headed down a path that should never be traveled on.


	7. Drastic Changes

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 7_

_Drastic Changes_

* * *

There is one common rule among shinobi that remains unchanged as the years pass; one conjoint trait that links them together. Regardless, all shinobi are different in their own ways—physically and mentally—but this one concordant decree gathers them in a pool of homology:

_All shinobi, one time or another, are drawn to live by the seat of their pants._

A silly criterion really, and most wouldn't fess up and admit that they indeed make reckless decisions for sheer pleasure or amusement. Some indulge more often than others, and others have yet to claim their tactless acts. But it is a likeliness that cannot be helped; the verge of death and expiration binds them all together with the common thought:

_This may be my last moment._

And, oh, does that thought show in the actions of many shinobi. Why do you think there are pubs ironically situated at every corner of a village bearing the shinobi ways? Another common, voiceless rule goes along with that: _what happens in the pub, stays in the pub_.

Most shinobi complete their reckless acts at least by the age of fifteen. For some its explicit sex with a brooding stranger; others, it is a full night of drinking that inevitably decimates a piece of their liver.

Well, the key point is _most_ shinbobi.

There _are_ a few innocent, prude souls that shy away from such actions for one reason or another—a lack of confidence, a towering pride, or, even for some, a silent _fear_ for such reckless actions.

And sadly enough, Sakura was one of those shinobi.

She would never _admit_ to that, of course. She always joined her friends during drunken nights at the pub. But she never, ever had crossed the line. She normally would sit there, force a smile, and humor herself with Ino or Naruto's insensible actions. One drink—maybe two—that was it. She never really _cared_ to find herself so drunk that the night before was a vague memory.

Well, things were about to change. She didn't realize this, of course. She didn't even care to think about it. But she was being pushed to the edge with her emotions, and it was about to make a few things in her life change _d__rastically…_

"Forget it Ino. I am not going."

The pink-haired girl stared back at her friend with an agitated glare that screamed _'don't fucking push me.'_ The blonde-haired beauty disregarded it completely, and reached forward to grasp her friend's shoulder.

"_Come on!_ It will be so fuunnnn!"

Her cerulean eyes sparkled for a moment as if she was trying to cast her charm over the irritated kunoichi, but it passed quickly as her intense glare continued to bore into her, completely un-phased by the blonde's charm.

"Normally, I would consent just to watch you make a fool of yourself. But today, I am really not in the mood for anything besides sleep."

Tenten appeared next to the blonde, a vanilla ice-cream cone resting in her hand. She gave Sakura a dumb-founded look as she devoured the sweet substance. "Same old Sakura, as usual. That's too bad."

Sakura's death glare shifted over to the brunette. Her lips seemed to curl in a snarl as she continued to throw daggers with her livid eyes. Ino noted her action to Tenten's simple comment, and drew her pink lips into a cruel smile.

"Yeah, _prude_, innocent Sakura; she'll never get anywhere with an outlook like that."

Sakura drew her hands into trembling fists, attempting to quell her rising anger and rivalry against the blonde kunoichi. She let out a shallow growl as she dug her toe into the innocent ground to hold back a fiery outburst. She wasn't going to let them win over her.

"Whatever, Ino. At least I can hold my pride knowing that I haven't slept with every shinobi that steps into Konoha."

Her blonde eyebrow quirked. "Oh, but at least I can say I _have_ at least experienced _adulthood_."

Sakura bit her tongue as the skin on her knuckles tightened. She knew she was going to say something like that—it was always like that. She was the _virgin_, the _prude_, the haughty bitch. On many accounts, Ino had reclaimed to her that men didn't approach her because they thought she was too snooty, too picky. Sakura fought back of course, but the only men she could claim as a comeback was Lee and Naruto—they were the only ones that had _ever_ really hit on her. That thought almost gave her shuddering chills; was she destined to be the lonely, old woman with twenty cats?

But today… today would be different. She wasn't going to let anyone think she was a snobby bitch anymore. What had struck this strange thought in her mind? She wasn't completely sure—but she was pretty confident it had to deal with two men by the names of Sasuke and Kakashi.

She loosened the tight fist in her hand and let a soft sigh escape her throat. "Fine. I will go to the pub with you tonight. But don't think I am doing this for your sake. This is for my own issues solely…"

Ino squealed happily and Tenten just stared at the pink-haired kunoichi disbelievingly. The entire teahouse turned their attention momentarily to the group of girls in the back of the room, attempting to make sense of the strange, loud outburst. But once they laid eyes on Ino, they rolled their eyes and turned their attention back to their lives. Konoha had gotten used to the blonde bombshell and all of her crazy antics.

Tenten leaned over the table, sending a few cold droplets of the creamy ice-cream onto the table top. "Issues? What's bothering you now, Sakura-chan?

Sakura narrowed her eyes suddenly at nothing in particular. She felt a strong feeling of regret wash over her as she realized the hole she dug herself. If her friends knew she was going to the pub for emotional issues, she knew she would be taken down, captured, and hogtied until the answers were out of her. It was just so unlike Sakura to turn to alcohol substances for consolation from her problems.

She waved a hand, trying her best to seem unperturbed by her slip up. "Nothing, really."

"Oh, come on Forehead! Just admit it! It's about Sasuke being back, isn't it?"

"_Pig_, it is not."

Well it was partly true, but another silver-haired man appeared in her mind as well. Of course, she would never admit to that.

"Oh, please. You are still completely smitten with him aren't you? Your dreams have been telling you that."

Tenten tilted her head. "Dreams?"

Sakura shook her head. This was not a conversation she wanted to get caught in. She had to consent to the annoying kunoichi now, or there would be no turning back. "Alright, you caught me. So, it is about Sasuke..." She paused, totally aware that she wasn't going to let her pride slither away that quickly. "But it isn't bothering me that much."

Ino raised a brow. "Right. Well, whatever. All I am going to say to you is…" She pointed a thin finger at the pink-haired beauty. "You are _not_ wearing that."

Sakura glanced down at her wardrobe. _Plain…_as usual. It was her familiar black training shirt with the mesh undershirt peeking out innocently from underneath. Her shorts fell to the tops of her knees loosely, concealing most of her legs from the outside world. Her figure was completely hidden, but at the moment, Sakura didn't care. It was comfortable; that gave her a few points, didn't it?

She shot Ino a dumb-founded look. "What's wrong with it?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "What happened to the Sakura I used to know? Jeez… I thought you cared about your image."

That stung Sakura's girly side partially. But she had somehow lost her need to look beautiful the day in the forest when she cut her hair off like a maniac trying to protect Sasuke and Naruto. She looked cool doing it, she decided, and it was better than any color-coordinated outfit any day.

Tenten devoured the last bit of her waffle ice-cream cone. "Sakura's still pretty. She just needs a few _kinks_ worked out in her outfit."

Sakura's jaw dropped slightly, suddenly starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by all of their hidden insults. God, they acted as if she walked around dressed in a paper bag. Just because she didn't wear revealing outfits that barely covered her naughty bits didn't mean she couldn't still be attractive to men.

"Well, what did you have in mind, Ino?"

Ino's lips immediately curved into a ferocious grin. She didn't say anything… but she didn't need to. Sakura immediately knew what was running through that hollow head of hers—she suddenly wished she hadn't said anything.

Without a word, Ino giggled under her breath and grabbed her friends' arms tightly, pulling them out of the booth they were sitting in. Tenten didn't ask. Sakura didn't ask. They already knew where they were going:

Shopping.

* * *

Naruto leaned forward precariously as the steam pressed against his face. He let his eyes drift to the crack in the bamboo fence as a large, naughty grin spread across his face. _Jiraiya had taught him well…_

"Dobe, what the hell are you doing peeking in the woman's bathhouse?"

Sasuke stood dominantly above the blonde, his arms crossed ruthlessly. Naruto stumbled at the sound of his voice, and quickly scampered away from the bamboo fence.

"What are you talking about, Sasuke? I was just… I was… um… just…" He stammered helplessly, unable to skewer a reasonable answer from his brain.

"_Whatever_…" He paused letting his eyes drift away from the stammering blonde. "Have you seen Sakura?"

Naruto's eyes grew wide as a large, toothy grin smeared across his face. "Sasuke… don't tell me…"

He narrowed his eyes darkly. "_What?"_

Naruto shot up quickly and danced around like he suddenly had a hot potato placed in his pants. "You are soo _bad…_almost as bad as me."

Sasuke apparently didn't enjoy that remark very much, because, before he knew it, his fingers were laced around Naruto's neck tightly. "What in the _hell_ are you talking about?"

The profuse grin continued to spread across his face as a distinct _Naruto_ chuckle erupted from his lungs. "Looking for a naked Sakura in the bathhouse; that is almost as bad as Jiraiya."

Sasuke jaw dropped as he released the kyuubi-bearer. "What the _fuck?_ Where did you get that idea, moron?"

"Why else would you look for her _here_, eh?"

Sasuke had to restrain everything inside of him to hold back from punching the idiot right then and there. "_No,_ dumbass. I wasn't looking for her _here._ I just happened to see you here when I passed by so I stopped to ask you where she was."

Sasuke mumbled something else inaudible under his breath as he stepped away from the fumbling peeping tom. He wasn't about to put up with Naruto's idiocy any longer.

"Well, if you _really _want to see her. She is going to be at the pub tonight with Ino and the others. We are all having a get-together."

Sasuke stopped in his tracks. "For what?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. No reason, I assume. Just the same old, same old crazy shit."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Like Sakura, he had been one of the few shinobi who didn't indulge in such reckless behavior. But his reasoning was utter pride and indifference for anything besides revenge.

He waved a hand at the blonde, continuing his pace away from the bathhouse and his idiotic teammate.

* * *

Sakura stood in front of her mirror timidly—eyes wide, mouth completely agape. She couldn't believe her eyes. This was not the Sakura she knew; this was some… dirty whore.

"Ino! You are absolutely _crazy!_ I am not going to wear this… this… piece of _tissue paper_."

Her analogy hadn't been that far off, sadly. It was indeed a very revealing pink dress with a v-neck that dipped below the curvature of her breasts. The straps were extremely thin; so much so that if she pulled down on her dress with mere _slight_ pressure, the straps would snap in half. However, it did a wonderful thing for her legs—showing off her lean, toned thighs and calves as if the world were seeing them for the first time.

Ino stepped forward, crossing her arms defensively as a bitter pout formed on her lips. "It is not a piece of tissue paper. It is the most amazing dress ever. Don't you ever notice women's fashions? All of us own a dress like this. I think I have even seen Anko wearing one before…" The way Ino said it made it sound like it was the most obvious thing in the world; like she was some outrageous outcast for not owning a translucent piece of clothing.

"This doesn't count as a _dress_. I don't think there is enough fabric here to fit a _doll_ properly…"

Tenten giggled slightly, but cowered away quickly after as Ino shot her a heated glare. She may be a qualified shinobi, but Tenten _never_ challenged Ino's dominance on such matters.

"You _are_ going to wear it, Sakura."

"No."

"Yes… you are."

"Sorry, not a chance."

Ino threw her hands up in exasperation, letting out a grumbling growl. Sakura was a difficult woman to deal with it. Everyone who knew her knew that… it was a fact that should never be challenged.

Sakura crossed her arms, mainly to cover her breasts peeking out from the dress, but also as a domineering gesture. "What's it matter anyways? I _always _go to the pub with you guys in my training outfit. Why does it have to change tonight?"

"Because we are on a mission tonight and drastic measures need to be taken." Ino exclaimed, as if it was something Sakura should already be aware of.

She furrowed her brows. "Mission? I was not informed of anything of the sort…"

Tenten stepped forward. "Well, it was sort of something Ino and I decided _for you._"

Tenten smiled. Ino nodded. Sakura screamed. What was their problem? First they treat her like a child with their _virgin_ comment; now, they were making decisions for her? What next? Will a bib be plastered around her neck while they force feed her food with the _airplane_ spoon?

"I don't think I ever gave you the authority to make decisions for me."

Sakura turned away from them, snatching her _plain_ training outfit from its disheveled position on the floor. She wasn't going to put up with them anymore. They were her friends and all, but she would never stoop low enough to become their walking Barbie doll.

"Stop right there Forehead. This mission has good reasoning, and I am sure you will agree as well."

A pale pink eyebrow immediately quirked up. Ino was declaring a mission with _good reasoning?_ Something about it was too fishy.

Flinging her black training outfit onto her shoulder casually, Sakura tilted her head up at the blonde, ready to challenge her. "Humor me."

A smirk curled on her lips as she shot a quick glance at Tenten. "Well, you said yourself that you were trying to get over Sasuke, right?"

She nodded apprehensively. That's right. She had forgotten that she was indeed trying to get over him. His familiar intoxicating spell was already cast on her and fogging her memory.

Another glance at Tenten. "Well, I was able to get over Sasuke immediately…" She paused. "Do you want to know how?"

No, she thought, not really. But she knew she didn't have any other choice. The persistent blonde was bent on telling her, and even a sudden hurricane thrashing through her apartment wouldn't stop her.

Ino was quiet for a while as a small smirk continued to spread across her lips. She was testing the pink-haired kunoichi and her patience. But Sakura wasn't going to give in, because, frankly, she knew that her answer would be something she didn't want to know.

"Sex."

Sakura faltered forward slightly, inhaling a bit of her saliva in the process. She coughed furiously as Ino peered down at her, the smirk on her face growing wider and wider. Sakura was expecting something blunt… but not something _that_ blunt.

She peered up at the blonde through watery eyes. "E-excuse me!"

She tilted her head up with, what seemed like, arrogant pride. "That's right. The night I lost my virginity I realized there were so many better things out there than an unwilling man."

Sakura had never felt so bewildered in her life. "So what is that implying to _me?"_

Tenten giggled, but Sakura wasn't sure why. She didn't care to ponder that thought at the moment; she was too shocked at Ino's _so-called-reasonable_ proposal.

Ino pointed a finger at the shocked kunoichi. "Well you…" She paused, leaning closer as if she was going to tell her a filthy joke. "Are going to get your cherry popped tonight."

More coughing erupted from Sakura's throat as she tried her best to swallow away Ino's casual reference to her virginity. She absolutely could not believe her. That was fine to say to herself… or Tenten… but this was _her—_Haruno Sakura… the prude one… the innocent one. She wasn't going to give away her womanhood to some random guy in a bar. But at this point, she was too disoriented to think straight.

"Well," Tenten began apprehensively. "You are _at least _going to make out with someone."

"No." It was the only word that would formulate in her mind—at least it was extremely appropriate at the moment.

Ino got on her knees and shot Sakura her best pout ever. "Come on Sakura. You need to pass up this lack of self-esteem. Guys would jump at any moment to be with you. If you give it a try, I am sure you will find it satisfying to flirt with a man."

"No…" There was that word again. The only word in her mind; the only thing she could repeat over and over.

This was ridiculous. There she was, incredulous—Ino at her feet, begging her to _get with a man_… It was downright strange. It was her personal life, and if she had vowed to save herself for someone who actually _mattered, _then so be it. What right did Ino have to force her to, as she put it, _pop her cherry?_ But for a split second, possibly the shortest second _ever_, a thought entered Sakura's mind—maybe it would work?

She was oddly becoming attracted to her teacher _and, _on top of that, becoming obsessed with a former teammate. Maybe she just had some kind of tension that needed to be released through one carefree night without any emotions besides satisfaction. Maybe all she needed was this night at the pub, showing of her assets and flirting with every man possible. Maybe all she needed was her attention drawn to something besides medical techniques, Sasuke, and Kakashi.

Thankfully, that second passed so quick that Sakura didn't linger on the believability of Ino's offer. She did, however, gain the courage to just give into her friends _partially._

"Fine. I will go. I will wear the dress… but I am _only_ going to flirt, okay?"

Ino squealed with delight, and this time, Tenten joined in. They began dancing around the room as if they had just won the lottery, and Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes at them. _This is ridiculous_, she thought for the fifth time that day.

But she wasn't going to give in that easily, though. "Oh, and I am only going if I can wear this, too."

She held up a sheer white jacket to their view, and Ino and Tenten eyed it as if it was a piece of dirt. They sighed in unison, shaking their heads as if she was hopeless. At times, especially now, she was hopeless… but she didn't care. It was her way to be stubborn.

"Fine. I _guess _you can wear that, too. At least it matches."

Sakura narrowed her eyes slightly as she plucked her arms into the sleeves of her jacket. Ino needed to stop referencing her lack of _so-called-fashionable _style.

Tenten pointed to the clock on Sakura's nightstand. "We have to get going, though. Everyone should be there already."

Sakura stopped for a moment, finally realizing she had no idea who she would be spending her _carefree _night with. "Wait—who all is going to be there?"

Ino smiled widely. "_Everyone_."

At the thought of everyone, two main heads popped into her mind—one had silver hair and an apathetic gaze; the other had dark hair and a cold smile.

Both made her blush…

But would they really be there?

* * *

Her heart was racing, and she couldn't deny the fact that she was literally having trouble breathing. She wasn't sure _why_ she was so damn nervous, though. She was going to the pub for a few drinks of sake with her friends. It wasn't any different than normal.

Except for that damn dress.

She concluded that it was indeed the dress that made her so nervous, because every time the girls passed someone on the way to the pub, she ducked behind Ino in attempt to hide her exposed body. Ino would scold her the way an older sister would, and push her forwards out in the open, making sure to let _everyone _know she existed.

By the time they reached the pub, Sakura's confidence was completely shot. She was fighting back the urge to lean over and ask Ino or Tenten if they could share some of their confidence with her. A silly thought, really, but it didn't stop her from debating it.

Ino turned to Sakura, sending her a secure, toothy grin. "Are you ready for this Forehead?"

She narrowed her eyes, using her body language to send her a pleading _no_ disguised as a _yes_. It didn't stop Ino, of course. Ino pushed the doors of the pub open with utter confidence, walking her bombshell walk, and bearing that sexy smile on her face. She had done it a million times; it was something she didn't even have to think about while she did it. And for a moment, Sakura admired her utter confidence, thinking that sexy smile and walk were even more difficult than coming up with your own jutsu.

That admiration slowly dissipated as fear surged through her veins… fear of embarrassment… fear of regret… fear that… oh, god…

People were actually looking at her!

Forehead girl! Plain old Haruno Sakura! Men were looking at her with that coy glint in their eyes. She felt mentally violated as her eyes scanned over the men. She found it very hard to believe that Ino actually _enjoyed_ this kind of violation. It was if they were undressing her with their thoughts… with their eyes…

Probably because they really were.

She made a mental note to feel utterly disgusted when her nervousness passed.

But the sheer embarrassment she was feeling only escalated to frightening trepidation as she approached the table Ino was waving at. Despite how loud Ino's greeting was to the table…

All eight pairs of eyes were on her.

Most looked shocked… others looked completely dazed (all men of course.) Her heart began thumping furiously in her throat as she tore her eyes towards the ground, focusing them on her nicely painted pink toes.

"Sakura! Don't just stand there! Take a seat and we will get you some sake right away!"

Ino pulled her friend into the chair next to her, causing her breasts to be exposed more than they already were. She blushed every red hue existent as she quickly covered them with her free hand.

Sakura didn't look up. She didn't want to… she didn't need to. She knew it was too late. Everyone had already seen her in a different light… a light not Sakura-like. Most would be disappointed; others would be excited beyond belief. She fixed her gaze on the grainy wood table in front of her, thinking and _knowing_ this was the biggest mistake in her life.

A cup of swirling sake was placed in front of her, causing her to break her intense stare at the table in front of her. And the first thing she met eyes with was the last thing she _wanted_ to see at the moment…

Kakashi.

He was staring at her with that usual emotionless eye, but this time, even from across the table, she could tell there was something else entirely in his eye. Something she had never seen before…

He was disappointed.

He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, and it felt like the most deathly excruciating gaze she had ever experienced. She wanted to break free from his eye, but she couldn't. She continued to stare back—mouth agape, face flushed.

It was definitely the biggest mistake in her life.

In all of her years knowing Kakashi, she had never seen him look that way at _anyone…_ not even Naruto. It was the way a father looks at his daughter when he caught her in the act with her boyfriend; or the way a mother looks at her child for cheating on a test. He was looking down on her, and his gaze alone was enough to crush her very existence.

It was too much to bear; she just couldn't possibly stand that gaze any longer. "E-excuse me…"

She stood shakily to escape the dungeon she had led herself to, but a hand reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her back into a sitting position.

"Sakura… _where_ are you going?"

It was then she finally realized that she was sitting next to Sasuke. His voice startled her and soothed her all at the same time. Unable to fight that familiar spell he cast on her, she sat back down willingly.

Her eyes scanned the faces at the round table she was sitting at. Sasuke looked at her with a similar gaze as Kakashi. Naruto's jaw was practically brushing the table, his eyes the size of saucepans. Shikamaru wasn't even looking at her… lessening the burden by an eighth. Anko's brow was raised at her. Genma had a bit of drool on his jaw….

Her eyes skipped over Kakashi.

…Lee's eyes were full of stars. And last but not least, Hinata's eyes were so wide with shock that they seemed to blend in with the whites of her eyes.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! You look so _hot!_" Naruto's voice rang shrilly in her ears, and she dropped her head farther at his words.

"I must agree with Naruto, Sakura… you look as beautiful as a cherry blossom." Lee waggled his brows at her, but she didn't notice; her eyes were glued to the cup of sake in front of her.

She heard the scrape of a chair as a body stepped towards her. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled into a standing position, and she quickly threw her hands up to cover the most needed areas.

"Jesus, Sakura. What are you trying to do? You're a hazard for all men… including me." Genma's voice caused her to peel her eyes away from her feet. She gazed back at him, the red hue spreading across her entire body.

His senbon clicked back in forth in his teeth as he sent her a smug smirk. He inched closer, making her heart beat faster and faster with embarrassment.

_Really… how DOES Ino enjoy this?_

A soft scoff resonated behind her, and all eight (now eleven, actually) pairs of eyes were suddenly glued on Sasuke.

"Really? I think it is a bit repulsive…"

Genma stepped back, and Sakura was getting ready to let out a sigh of relief for Sasuke saving her… but then she realized what he said. _Repulsive?_

"Damn, Sasuke. I wholly think it possible that _no_ woman could turn you on." Genma shot back, obviously offended that anybody would think Sakura was _repulsive _in that dress.

Her eyes slowly trailed over to Kakashi, as if she was pleading for some help. But when she locked eyes with him, she realized he was still staring at her with _that_ gaze. It was penetrating even deeper now, as if he was getting more and more angry as the minutes passed. She wanted to scream; she wanted to cry; she wanted to _die._ She felt like the most embarrassed person in the world. This was supposed to _help_ her, not crush her spirits more.

But then, she realized…

It was only because she was _letting_ it bother her. It was a battle going on _only_ in her head…

And suddenly, it slipped away—all the trepidation, all the embarrassment, all the nervousness. She placed a hand on her hip confidently and pointed a thin finger at the dark-haired boy next to her.

"Oh, please Sasuke. You are just mad because you know you will never get a piece of this cherry."

Snorts, coughs, and grunts erupted from all over the table as everyone registered what Sakura had just said. Yes, that's right… prude, innocent Sakura had just referred to her womanhood as a _cherry. _And to Sasuke, no less.

Sasuke sent her the darkest glare she had ever experienced. But she didn't give a damn. She was here to have a good time; to experience a carefree night of… oh, how do they put it?—living by the seat of her pants.

Picking up her cup of sake, she sat down, not even daring to cover her exposed parts. Sasuke had triggered the attitude inside her, and it wasn't going to subside. She wasn't going to be weak, prude, innocent Sakura anymore. That is…

If she could avoid that condescending gaze of Kakashi's…

"Well, then Sakura. You tell him!" Ino patted her friend on the back, sending Sasuke a dominant look.

Tenten giggled again, suddenly beginning to see how amusing Sakura really could be at times.

"Sakura, you can switch seats with Sasuke, if you want…" Naruto peered at her over her cup of sake. Hinata's head drooped slightly.

She smirked the best sexy smirk she could unveil. "No thanks, Naruto. I'm fine."

"Actually," Genma spoke up. "Would it be alright if _I _switch seats with Sasuke?"

Sasuke seemed to be on fire, and it was surprising that anything he looked at didn't spontaneously combust before his eyes. He stood abruptly, letting his chair scrape loudly underneath him. Without a word, he stalked over to Genma's seat next to Kakashi and sat down, crossing his arms tightly across his chest.

Genma smirked widely, taking the seat next to Sakura. Scooting his chair closer to the pink-haired beauty, he let his thigh rest against her bare thigh, and for a moment, she fought the urge to punch him square in the face. But then she remembered what Ino had said, and the urge quickly subsided. She was there to flirt, and that's exactly what she was going to do. Genma was the perfect target—attractive, easy to swoon, and willing to do _anything._

She raised the cup to her lips and let the cool liquid burn down her throat. She was going to stop there… but she didn't. She continued to chug her drink like a famished man in the desert. Letting her cup slam on the table, all eleven pairs of eyes were on her again, brows raised with disbelief.

She didn't look up at Kakashi… though she felt the urge to.

"Jeez, Sakura. It's not a race. Slow down…" Anko spoke up as if she was scolding the pink-haired girl. But it didn't phase Sakura, she motioned for the waitress to get her another drink.

She could feel both their eyes burning into her, but she didn't look at either of them. They were the reason she was acting this way anyways. She was trying to get _them_ out of her head.

And for a moment, regret began to tug at her conscience. What if this was a bad idea? What if Kakashi or Sasuke never spoke to her again for her reckless actions? What if she was throwing it all away?

Those questions quickly dissipated as the waitress set another swirling cup of sake in front of her. She quickly picked it up and raised it to her lips again, ready to repeat her performance. But a hand reached over and touched her gently on the wrist, causing her eyes to avert over. Naruto was staring at her with those worried eyes; he used those eyes on her a lot when she was doing something crazy in battle. But she wasn't going to let it stop her _now._ She was on a roll….

There was no turning back.


	8. Discarding the Heart and Mind

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 8_

_Discarding the Heart and Mind_

* * *

_Actions speak louder than words_—a credible piece of advice indeed. Most people don't really realize the meaning behind this saying. They simply choose their actions and gestures because their mind tells them to. They don't really _think_, though… It _would _be wise for humans to say—hey, what will this reflect upon me? Will I be doing something that will result in something I don't want?

Yes, it _would _be wise…

But humans aren't very wise in the first place. And, as a human, Sakura found herself lacking that very piece of advice…

_What are my actions _really_ saying about _me?

Maybe that's why humans often find themselves _regretting _something rather than _congratulating_ it...

Her vision blurred. Her body swayed, and, above all, her entire existence was completely numb.

She gazed at the empty cups in front of her and began to count… or at least _tried _to count.

_One…three… two… five…_

A soft giggle erupted from her throat as she finally realized her foolish mistake. Silly Sakura. She _can _count… really; just not now apparently.

She raised a shaky finger to touch each cup as she counted. But this time, without even knowing it, her thoughts were vocalized. "One… two…" A long pause erupted as her deafened mind attempted to function. "Four…?"

She heard Genma laugh half-heartedly next to her. "No, not quite. You skipped one in there."

She traced her languid eyes over to the man next to her. "_No_, I started with _one_ you putz."

An erratic giggle tickled her throat for no reason in particular. She found it was entertaining to just _laugh_. There was no reason; she didn't need one. Everything was funny at the moment in her eyes.

Ino shook her head at the intoxicated kunoichi next to her. "My, my… it seems our Sakura can't hold her drink very well… or count."

Sakura giggled again, picking up one of the cups and peering into it like a Kaleidoscope. Her actions caused many humored chuckles to erupt from around her. It didn't phase her… in fact, it seemed nothing _would _or _could _phase her at the moment. She was so drunk she almost forgot about that dominant gaze Kakashi was sending her in the corner of his eye… or the heated rage in Sasuke's eyes as he glared at her.

That's right… _almost…_

She still felt both of their eyes boring into her, but it only pushed her more. She wasn't going to let them think they could control her. She had her own life. She could drink as much as she wanted, do whatever she wanted, and most of all, she could want to be with whomever she wanted.

Too bad anyone she _would_ be interested in was either glaring at her darkly or gazing at her with disappointment.

But she pushed that thought away quickly, letting the emptiness of her drunken state return. She wasn't done yet; she was only getting started.

With a scrape of her chair, she stood abruptly, leaning over the table with a lopsided smile on her face. Her eyes seemed to blur together as she blinked, but she rubbed at them furiously, making her vision return. With a ludicrous chuckle, she began peeling her white jacket off.

All eleven pairs of eyes returned to her.

She ignored their watchful eyes as she swung her jacket around her head foolishly as if it was the most amusing thing she had ever encountered. Her breasts were hanging _dangerously_ close to edge of her dress, but this time, she didn't reach down to cover her exposed skin. She _truly_ didn't give a damn at the moment.

Releasing her jacket with a quick toss, she collapsed in the chair underneath her, falling half-way into Genma's lap in the process. Her head collided with his shoulder as the jacket flew limply into Naruto's lap. Genma reached out his arm to embrace her fall for, well, _obvious reasons—_he was preparing to lay his siege on the fuddled kunoichi.

"Sakura… slow down… you are going to hurt yourself." A smug grin curled on his lips as he leaned his body into hers.

The utter warmth of Genma's body made a tingling sensation erupt from the pit of her stomach. She leaned into his body, attempting to drink in more of the sensation. His manly smell mixed with cologne and sake tickled her senses as she slowly let her head fall limp against his shoulder. _So this must be what Ino was talking about…_

In all reality, Genma was_ not_ somebody Sakura would normally be drawn to. He was an idiot—a womanizer; and most of all; he never knew when to keep his damn mouth shut. But something was disarraying her senses beyond belief, and the man sitting next to her suddenly became the most desirable thing to delight all five senses.

"Sakura… I really don't think you know what you are doing…" Naruto's voice was dripping with concern, and normally, it would be enough to break her. But not today; she didn't even acknowledge it.

"Oh, please Naruto. She is a grown woman! She can handle herself for god's sake." Ino's voice rang in her ears, causing a smirk to tug at her lips.

That's right—she _was_ a grown woman. And she was going to prove it…

Letting a shaky hand fall onto Genma's neck, she pulled herself out of her chair and positioned herself on his lap. His eyes grew wide with surprise as a satisfied grin spread across his face. She peered up at him through blurry eyes, feeling the eyes of hatred burn through her skin from every direction. They were all watching her—she knew it—and it was the reaction she wanted.

"My, my Sakura… aren't we a little aggressive?" Genma laced his arm around her thin frame, willingly pulling her close to his chest.

Sakura nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, taking in his emanating warmth. The feel of his hands around her waist seemed to burn holes in her dress, summoning that familiar tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. In the back of her mind, she was aware of how utterly wrong it was to feel that way about Genma, but the exciting, provocative feelings echoing through her body were too much to bear in her drunken state. Nothing mattered but the pleasure of the situation.

She could hear the opposing resistance of the protective friends around her, but the sound seemed muffled and distant as she focused on nothing but one, single, sense—touch. She reveled in the swirling sensation in her head, the ardent feeling of Genma's breath on her neck, and, most of all the inebriated feeling of acting on impulse—nothing less, nothing more.

She was, as most shinobi put it, exceptionally _living by the seat of her pants…_

However, one voice did happen to catch her attention. And it wasn't exactly _his voice_ per se; it was what he said…

"Hey, Sasuke… did you ever find Sakura earlier? I mean you were looking for her, right? Was there something you wanted to ask her?"

Immediately, the sound of Naruto's voice made her tense up as she registered the words echoing in her ears. Sasuke… was looking for her? For a brief moment, the emptiness of her drunken state filled with anxiety and excitement. Her heart began to pound furiously in her chest as she awaited his answer. What had he wanted from her? Sasuke had pursued her the other day as well… had he come to look for her again? It was so unlike Sasuke to regard Sakura in any way, and the thought of him interested or concerned about her made her heart flutter in her throat.

Unfortunately for Sakura's sake, Sasuke's glare darkened as a fit of murky emotions poured into the atmosphere. He spoke up… silent and sullenly…

"No… it doesn't matter anymore."

His words seemed hollow and bitter, and he spoke as if Sakura was nothing to him but the dust on his shoulder. She traced her eyes over sluggishly and peered up at him, searching for any hope in his eyes. To her dismay, the only thing she saw was anger… disappointment… disregard. She was nothing to him.

As she gazed back at him softly, the only thing she felt was emptiness. How could she be so foolish to think this night would be good for her? Now, both Sasuke and Kakashi wanted nothing to do with her… or so she thought. The way they looked at her made her feel like a tiny insect—a worthless, stupid, puny insect. Maybe she was. She was too drunk to feel anything at the moment.

Her gaze shifted between the silver-haired jounin and the dark-eyed boy next to him. She wanted to speak up, to explain herself and her emotions; anything to let them know her _real_ reasoning behind her actions; anything to make them stop gazing at her with hatred and disappointment. Why had she done that? Why had she agreed with Ino? She felt so damn stupid. All she wanted to do was forget the strange emotions arising in her heart. But could she really forget them after a night of reckless actions? She still thought… _maybe so_…

Letting her eyes fall onto Genma, she traced his face, searching for any miniscule hint of reckoning for her actions. He smirked back at her, raising his brow as he clicked his senbon back and forth in his teeth. His brown eyes were swirling with one emotion only—lust—and it was enough to make the pink-haired kunoichi wither into a pool of hypnotism. A man wanted _her—_plain, boring Haruno Sakura. He was attractive and mesmerizing at the moment… and the anticipation was the only thing that mattered in her mind.

And that was it…. In that one, single moment, Sakura came to the most important realization in her life—one that would change the course of her fate forever. She had no idea how vital her decision was at the moment for there was only one thing sticking out in her mind:

_Pleasure._

She wanted to act on her senses without thinking… she wanted to feel the exhilaration of knowing that the wrong thing felt so damn right, but, most of all, she wanted to feel impassive when she thought about the two most important men in her life.

These were all things she merely _wanted;_ she had _no idea_ the consequences of what she was about to do, but she didn't really care to think about it. Consequences were not something she would regard anytime soon.

So, without hesitation, Sakura reached down the front of her dress and pulled out a couple of crumbled bills, slapping them on the table in front of her. And with a smirk on her face, she said the crudest words that would _ever_ come out of her mouth.

"Alright, boys. I have an offer for anyone willing to take it." Her voice slurred, causing her to stall her train of thought. But she didn't stop. "I will give anyone fiftee dolla's to pop my cherry!"

At that very moment, all eleven pairs of eyes traced over to her in bewilderment. A deadly silence slipped between the group of conversing shinobi, suffocating the unperturbed atmosphere surrounding them. Utterly stunned by the kunoichi's offer, the group remained silent… staggered… paralyzed. Sakura sank back down slowly as the reality of the situation smacked her hard in the face, holding her breath hostage in her throat. She opened her mouth to apologize—to tell them she wasn't serious, but the sound of a scraping chair sliced through the silence furiously, startling her.

She traced her eyes towards the startling sound, only to find her heart wrenching at the sight before her eyes…

Kakashi…

He towered over the table with utter distress, his dark eye piercing through her swirling emerald orbs. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he sent her a discomfited glare mixed with disdain and heated rage. As she peered back at him lifelessly, the entire world fell away.

The only thing she could feel was the pain in her heart and the displeased aura emanating from his usually apathetic exterior.

She wanted to scream—to tell him she was sorry, but the silence deafened her drunken state as warm tears gathered behind her widened eyes. Her heart filled with anguish as she watched the silver-haired man thrust his hands in his pockets and turn away from the table, mumbling his good-byes. She reached her hand out towards his retreating figure, ready to bellow her apology, but the only thing that escaped her throat was a silent squeak. It was a pathetic sight really. Sakura looked as if her only love had walked out on her life forever; as if her heart had been ripped to tiny, insignificant shreds…

But then again, maybe it really had.

She wasn't really sure what she was feeling at the moment. The only thing that beat frivolously at the back of her mind was… regret. Regret for anything she had ever done in her life.

Especially this…

Sakura fumbled to escape Genma's grip. She wanted nothing more than to escape, to run after Kakashi, to tell him she was sorry for ever being a burden. But as she leaned forward to alleviate his grasp on her waist, a hand snaked forward and embraced her thigh, locking her in a fixed position.

All of the color drained from her face as all of her attention was brought to the burning sensation tickling her inner thigh.

She caught one last glimpse of Kakashi's retreating back as she slowly trailed her eyes down to the hand touching her thigh ever so softly.

"You're a virgin Sakura?" Genma's warmth breath tickled her earlobe as he leaned into her body, enveloping her in a hungry embrace.

Her mouth seemed parched and dry as she opened her mouth to form a rebuttal. The_ conscious_ Sakura wanted to feel so utterly violated by Genma's touch, but it was too late. _Conscious _Sakura was long gone; the only thing left was a dazed body encasing a kunoichi held hostage; a kunoichi fuddled with mixed emotion and intoxicating sake; a kunoichi no longer in touch with her heart or her mind—only her senses.

So she did the only thing she could at the moment—feel.

Pushing the thoughts of the absent copy-ninja out of her mind, Sakura leaned into Genma's touch, letting her head tilt towards his fervent mouth. Finally registering the reality of the situation, Naruto stood abruptly, his eyes filling with rage and contempt.

"Get your hands off of her you filthy piece of trash! You know she is totally vulnerable right now and I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER!"

Naruto's screeching voice severed Sakura's eardrum, making her wince in pain. Utterly annoyed by his outburst, she tilted her head towards him, sending him an agitated glare.

"Naruto, leave me alone. Don't think you can control me, _too?_ I have enough with Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei breathing down my neck every twenty seconds!"

"Sakura, I don't think you know what you are saying…" Lee pressed his brows into a concerned frown as he spoke, but Sakura didn't care to notice. She was _sick and tired_ of being treated like a child.

Anko narrowed her eyes slightly at the situation at hand. "Leave her be. She'll wake up tomorrow and realize the mistake she made…"

Not sensible enough to realize the _true_ meaning behind Anko's comment, Sakura sighed, finally relieved that someone was on her side for once. What was with everyone acting like she was making the biggest mistake of her life? Tons of shinobi had been in her exact situation at age _fifteen or younger_, and nothing was said to them. Why was she always treated like a baby? Like someone who couldn't handle a damn thing on her own?

_Aw, who gives a damn…_

With that thought repeating in her mind, Sakura leaned into Genma's mouth, the cold tip of his metal senbon tickling her throat. Naruto's eyes watched her with building wrath, and within moments, another sound of a scraping chair echoed in her ears.

"ARGGH! I can't sit and watch this anymore! Snap out of it Sakura! You don't know what you are doing!"

Naruto grasped her shoulder tightly and peeled her out of Genma's grip, a storm of anger swirling in his cerulean eyes. She glared up at him darkly, shedding his strong grip on her arm.

"Goddammit Naruto! I'm eighteen _fuckin'_ years old! I can have sex if I want to!"

Suddenly, Naruto shrank away from the heated kunoichi, a look of concern writhing his features. He furrowed his brows at her as he tilted his head down in shame. This wasn't his Sakura. It couldn't be; this was not the girl he fell in love with.

"No…" His voice was hushed and bleak. "I can't believe you... Not with him… not _now._ I thought you had more pride than that…"

Sending her one last rueful gaze, the blonde-headed boy turned away from her, repeating the same departure as the silver-haired jounin. As she watched him exit the pub silently, regret began funneling its way out of its buried position in her mind. She pushed it away forcefully. They had no right to treat her that way!

She turned back towards Genma, who seemed absolutely placid about the whole situation. He sent her a coy grin, returning his grip around her waist. She wasn't going to let their overbearing ways get to her. They just had to take her actions in stride. It was _her_ life anyways…

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned into his body, searching for the pleasurable tingling sensation of his warm breath on her skin. Genma smirked, removing his senbon and leaning into her ear…

"Let's get out of here…"

Her breath caught in her throat as the reality of the situation sank in around her. She was leaving alone… with a man _much_ older than her…_ alone…_where she would finally say good-bye to her childhood once and for all.

Her heart beat erratically in her chest, but she nodded apprehensively. She was ready. She wanted to get it over with, but as she stood shakily to ready her departure, a sullen voice caught her attention.

"You are a _disgrace…_"

Her heart wrenched at the sound of his stoic voice, and it was _almost _enough to retrieve her from her mesmerized state. She traced her eyes over to the dark-haired shinobi, sending him a look of assurance. He glared back at her, but this time, his eyes were not filled with rage; they were soft and sad… almost…

Anguished…

She averted her eyes away from him quickly in fear of his mesmerizing spell. She couldn't let him get to her as always… she wasn't going to let Sasuke stop her from doing this…

It was something that needed to be done…

Shutting her eyes tightly, Sakura laced her arm around Genma's waist. Sending Ino and Tenten a reassuring smile, she turned away from the table. It was now or never because, pretty soon, the alcohol would wear off, and god only knows…

This temporary state of confidence would slip away like no tomorrow.

It was obvious that Sakura could not deny her drunken state, though. This was illustrated in her _attempt_ to walk out of the pub without stumbling to the ground. Her legs felt like rubber, and the soles of her feet were completely numb. She was _hoping… praying…_ that she could exit the pub without a conflict. But no matter how hard she tried, she stumbled into chairs, people, tables…

Anything that came across her path, she was sure to stumble into it…

It was then that Sakura realized how drunk she _really_ was. When she was sitting down, she couldn't feel the swinging sensation in her arms and legs, or the numb feeling in the tips of her fingers and toes. The newfound numbness in her body made her giggle as she stumbled through the doors of the pub, dragging the brown-haired man along with her.

She swung around, letting her back collide with the walls of the pub. A wide grin spread across her face as she pulled Genma flush against her body, drinking in the warm sensation of his body against hers.

Gazing back at him through blurry eyes, a wave of apprehension washed over her as she realized how inexperienced she was on the subject she was about to breech.

Hell, she had never even _kissed_ a guy before.

Yet, there she was, drunk as a skunk and ready to plead for sexual actions. A distinct nervousness surged in her veins at that thought. She had _sort of_ known what a male's anatomy was like, but she had _never_ been in contact with it; at least not in a sexual way. What if her first time was a big mistake with someone as… _experienced _as Genma?

Apparently Genma had noticed the apprehension building in the drunken kunoichi, because he leaned forward, lacing his hand in her silky, pink locks. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I will take care of you. I am not going to hurt you… I promise."

His voice was husky and low, flipping on a hidden switch in her naïve body. She bit her lip as a warm, tingling sensation surfaced across her skin.

"I-I know… I-I've just n-never…"

He hushed her softly, placing a finger to her lips. She leaned into the pleasurable, burning feeling rising at his touch.

"I know… I know… don't worry." He paused, pressing his lips towards hers, letting his warmth breath linger above her skin. "Do you want to go to your place?"

For a moment, her heart almost leapt out of her throat as the thought of being with a man tugged at the mind of _conscious_ Sakura. But … _conscious _Sakura was held hostage… and completely unable to fight back against the tingling sensation arising in the pit of her bosom.

She nodded apprehensively, completely driven by his lust-filled touch—nothing less, nothing more. He grasped her hand with a smug smirk, leading the fumbling kunoichi out into the dark street. She trailed behind him as best as she could, stumbling on anything that got in the way of her numb feet.

But as she stumbled down the dark, silent street, she felt the most gratification she had ever felt in such a forbidden act. _Normal_ Sakura would stick to the rules… _normal _Sakura would feel frightened and filthy for such an act…

But this was drunk Sakura…

And she was slowly getting happily acquainted with this Sakura.

Genma turned his attention to the pink-haired kunoichi, nodding his head towards a distant apartment building. "Is this the place?"

She focused her blurred eyes on the swaying subject beyond Genma, attempting to analyze its existence in the darkness. After a few moments, she registered an obvious answer…

Yep, that was the place… _her _place… her lonely, dark apartment.

Genma pulled her out of her dark thoughts as he looped an arm underneath her knees and scooped her into his arms. Letting out a lopsided giggle, Sakura leaned into his chest to take in his manly scent…

But as he stalked towards her apartment with her in his arms, Sakura was forced to push away the arising emotion that had been tickling her all night.

Fear of regret…

_Too many times, _she thought. _I can't feel regret now… I am too far in to stop now…_

Within seconds, a puff of smoke appeared before her eyes as the surroundings of her bedroom blurred into view. She shut her eyes tightly as a lump arose in her throat, mocking her temporary, drunken confidence. She knew what was coming next, _but was she ready?_

Conscious Sakura sure wasn't…

Genma smirked haughtily as he softly situated the drunken kunoichi in her bed. The cool sensation of the silky sheets beneath her contrasted with his warm body, causing a pleasurable shiver to travel down her spine. Her breath hitched in her throat as he positioned his body above her, his legs straddling over her hips. She squeezed her eyes shut as she grasped a handful of the sheets beneath her in attempt to quell the rising anxiety in her mind. A battle of emotions raged in her mind, causing her heart to pound clamorously in her chest. She had never felt such a wide range of emotions at one time before. She felt excited, satisfied, nervous, frightened, but most of all, _worried._

_This is normal… I am supposed to feel nervous… I have to stop worrying… and thinking. Yes! That's it! Stop thinking… no thinking…_

Noting the anxious expression on Sakura's face, Genma smirked, leaning closer to her. "We don't have to do this, Sakura…"

She swallowed away the anxiety, knowing that it was _now_ or _never._ She was too far in; she had already pissed everyone off. There was no point in turning back now. She would do this, just for the sake of Kakashi and Sasuke. She wanted to get over her obsession with Sasuke and, well, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do about her sensei. All she wanted to do was push away the strange way he had been making her feel lately. Would she be able to? _Too late to ponder now_, she thought. And even if she _tried _to think it over, it would be deemed merely impossible in her drunken state.

Letting out a shallow sigh, Sakura loosened her tense muscles. Peering up at the brown-haired man above her, she tilted her head in an act of agreement. She was ready…

_Now or never…_

Genma's actions seemed like a blur to her as she forced herself into an emotionally numb state. She tuned her body into the only sense she needed—touch. Her mind would not help her. Her heart would only entangle her in pain…

_Touch… _it was all she needed…

Leaning forward, Genma pressed his warm mouth against Sakura's neck, launching a storm of fiery sensations in her body. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly as he grazed damp, searing kisses along her collarbone. She shuddered at the sensational feel of his lips against her skin, suddenly aware of how paralyzed she had become. His hands roamed across her thigh, and she fought back the protective urge to discard his hands from such a private area. Conscious Sakura was _screaming… pleading…_

But it was nothing but an insignificant, muffled voice in the back of her anesthetized mind.

Unconsciously, she found herself grasping the sheets again, attempting to subdue the clash of anxiety and sheer pleasure in her body and mind. A quiet squeak escaped her throat, but she was unable to scrutinize whether it was a moan of ecstasy or a cry for help…

Genma willingly perceived it as a moan of ecstasy, letting his hands wander more forcefully across her hips. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hand shakily arose ever so slowly, ready to push him away. But her hand stopped mid-air as the clash of emotions raged more powerfully in her entire existence.

She wanted to stop him and feel his tingling touch all at the same time. She wanted to cry out for help and moan with pleasure simultaneously. She was so confused, so damn lost in what _felt _right and what _was_ right, that she didn't even notice the tall figure slip into her bedroom… or the heavy weight on her body being replaced by the stiff, suffocating air.

In fact, she didn't even notice the shift in the aura until her warm, tepid body was attacked by the lonely, frigid air around her.

She opened her eyes lethargically as she pressed her brows into a confused frown. Letting her surroundings spiral into focus, she searched the end of her bed for the mysteriously departed jounin. When her eyes met with nothing but her familiar bedroom, she suddenly began to wonder if she was dreaming.

_But he was just here a few seconds ago…_

Her drunken state stifled her common sense, making her totally disregard the newfound being in her bedroom.

That is… until his beautifully stoic voice retrieved her momentarily.

"Get out of here. You aren't allowed _here_ with _her_."

Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice, and she traced her glassy eyes over to confirm his existence. As her eyes met its target, her heart seemed to skip a beat.

_Conscious Sakura shrieked with utter happiness…_

Drunk Sakura, on the other hand, remained frozen—unable to move, to think, to _breathe_. She sat there for what felt like _hours_, completely immobile; just staring—concentrating on nothing but _him…_

_What is he doing here?_

She would've expected to be mad at him for intruding such a private affair, but surprisingly, a building excitement seemed to explode at the sight of him. Apparently Conscious Sakura was starting to come to…

He released his tight grasp on Genma's jounin vest, sending him a dark glare. "Just forget this ever happened."

Genma shrugged, totally unmoved by the hatred in his coal-colored eye. "You don't _own _her. I know you are protective of her… but how long are you planning on being her savior? Don't you understand? She is an adult now. She isn't your student anymore."

His fists tightened until his knuckles were gleaming white, but he said nothing to Genma's statement. Letting his apathetic gaze return, he turned away from Genma, as if his existence was nothing to him. Sakura's breath hitched as she realized he was approaching her now.

She suddenly realized how dreadful she _should _be feeling at the moment.

His eye pierced through her as his approaching figure drew nearer and nearer to the fuddled kunoichi. She flinched slightly as he reached the edge of her bed. She knew what was coming now. The only thing she could do was sit, and wait, hoping it would be over soon.

She never was one who favored Kakashi's lectures…

But to her surprise, he did something she would never expect. Grasping her arm tightly, the silver-haired man pulled her out of her reclined position and hoisted her into his arms. She blinked a few times, unable to register what he had just done. Unperturbed by her confusion, Kakashi turned away from her bed, sending Genma one last look of dissatisfaction.

In a flash, the two shinobi became engulfed in puff of billowing smoke…

Genma chuckled silently as he watched the smoke disperse into the thick air_._


	9. Words of Wisdom & Fortuitous Confessions

_**Weakness of the Heart**_

_Chapter 9_

_Words of Wisdom and Fortuitous Confessions_

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A/N: I just wanted to apologize to everyone in advance. It has literally taken me 5 years to update this story, so if the writing style seems different, I'm sorry. I hope that doesn't leave the story fragmented in the middle. Nonetheless, I've enjoyed picking this story up again, and I hope you can do the same! Happy reading!

* * *

_Water…_

It was all Sakura could think of as she peeled her eyes open that morning. The bright, jagged slits of light pierced through the cracks of the window, attacking the sensitive retinas of her eyes. She flinched as she rolled over, and something inside her mind screamed in pain, but it was quickly obliterated as the dryness in her mouth swelled and bulged. She gagged from the sensation, and her tongue bobbed in her mouth like a thick, clump of sand. In an instant, she was fumbling with the covers on top of her in desperation, fighting the wave of nausea rising towards her throat. She fell to the floor with a clumsy _thud_ and crawled awkwardly towards the nearest doorway she could find. As she flung the doorway open, she hurled herself onto the blessed porcelain rim of the toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach in one, grotesque heave.

She leaned in as another sickening wave of nausea built inside her, but, instead, it shriveled away slowly. A sigh of relief escaped her lips momentarily, and she dabbed at the beads of sweat on her face with the back of her hand. Her whole body trembled as she swallowed away the pungent taste in her mouth.

For a moment, Sakura focused on her breathing in attempt to quell the sickness inside her, but as her surroundings blurred into view, memories of the night before exploded ferociously in her mind.

_Kakashi's house?_

Sakura fell backwards in a panic and her head collided painfully with the bathroom wall, but she ignored it spitefully. Shuffling to her feet clumsily, she lunged out the bathroom door, her eyes roaming over every detail of the room. But all she saw was the crumbled blankets on the floor and the first signs of morning light peering through the cracks of the window. Though Sakura stood awkwardly in his bedroom, there was no sign of the silver-haired man.

And then, it hit her—the crushing awareness of regret.

In a flash of imagery, Sakura saw the events of the night before replaying in her mind. She saw herself, giddy and immature, downing the glasses of sake gracelessly. She saw Genma, his lips pressed against her neck in a moment of building lust. She saw Naruto glaring down at her in dejected disappointment as he stormed out of the pub. And then, last but not least, she saw the disgusted and vanquished look shared equally on the faces of Sasuke and Kakashi.

_If he hadn't been there…_

Sakura fell to her knees, fighting the building urge to cry. How stupid could she really be? What she thought was an attempt to show her maturity had turned out to be quite the opposite—a desperate show for attention from an immature and juvenile soul. Her actions mirrored those of her stupid 13 year-old self, and now, all she could feel was the suffocating awareness of disappointment in herself.

How would she ever face them? _Any of them? _All her friends were sure to see her in a totally different light; one that indefinitely placed her in the same category of a younger sibling or child. She knew all shinobi faced a regretful night like that, but most had tackled it before the age of 15. _She was 18—nearly an adult. _How could she explain her actions to those who had no current understanding?

She sighed remorsefully, suddenly understanding what she must do. If she were to fix this problem like an adult, she'd have to approach it like an adult. A child would surely place attention on her actions and feel endless loads of guilt. She mustn't allow herself to do the same. Because, although she acted upon the impulses of a child, she was an adult through and through. Her demeanor in battle and her determination as a medic-nin had proved this repeatedly. She wouldn't let one night send her image careening out of control. She was sure of it.

With a sudden building determination, Sakura headed into the bathroom and washed her face. After smoothing her hand through her hair and gurgling with a splash of mint mouthwash, she was out of Kakashi's bedroom in a flash.

She had almost forgotten her surroundings in the midst of her thoughts, until she saw him standing there in the sitting room, glaring at her with hollow eyes.

"_Sasuke…"_

Once again, regret crushed her heart, diminishing her determination in an instant. She shuffled nervously on her feet, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"Sasuke… I-I…"

He interrupted her train of thought as he turned his back on her, starting towards the front door. Sakura gasped quietly, extending her arm as if to stop his retreat. His hand closed around the doorknob, and, without thinking, Sakura lunged forward, grasping the back of his shirt.

"Wait! Don't go!"

Time seemed to slow a stop as she stood there, her hand clenched tightly around the back of his shirt. Sasuke remained frozen, staring hard out the door at the sun ascending in the horizon. His eyes were like stones—rigid and cold, but, in a quick, fleeting moment, something akin to distress flashed behind them. Sakura faltered, removing her hand from his shirt slowly.

"I'm sorry… about last night." Her words were meek and somber, and instantly she regretted the tone in her voice. She swallowed once, before attempting to harden her words. "I shouldn't have made a scene like that in front of everyone. It was disrespectful to you and all our friends."

Sasuke turned then, pressing his eyes into an angry frown. "What you did was not disrespectful. It was disgraceful."

The usual stoic tone in his voice was laced with an odd emotion, and Sakura frowned, internalizing his words carefully. "Yes, I know. I shouldn't have let myself get carried away…"

Sakura's head drooped, and she suddenly felt like a small child apologizing to a disgruntled parent. But with that thought, a strange flash of anger arose in her mind. She wouldn't allow it; she wasn't going to stand there and feel chided, and by Sasuke to boot. He was one of the reasons she allowed her actions to get out of control.

She narrowed her eyes tightly, clenching her fists by her side. "What's it to you anyways? I don't see why I should explain anything to you. You hate me, remember? I'm that annoying pest of a girl that you can never seem to get rid of."

Fury flashed in Sasuke's eyes, and he stepped towards Sakura threateningly. In an instant, the gap between them closed, his arms extending to the wall behind Sakura. The height difference between them was substantial as he stared down at her, his eyes filled with rage and contempt. The air in Sakura's lungs remained hostage as fear swallowed her whole, leaving her frozen in Sasuke's wake. Silence stretched between them, holding them in a dangerous, yet peculiar embrace. Something unsettling rose in the pit of her belly as she recognized the proximity between them, and she fought a foreign, building desire to have Sasuke's lips pressed against hers. Although his eyes were filled with fury and hate, this was the closest she had ever been to Sasuke, and something hidden in the back of her mind was screaming with excitement, causing her heart to pound erratically in her throat. She hated herself at that moment for remembering all those fluttering feelings Sasuke used to give her; it was nowhere near an appropriate moment to be feeling that way, and she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the world around her would disappear. But to her disdain, cutting off her vision had only heightened her other senses, leaving her acutely aware of the warmth of Sasuke's breath against her bare skin; of the familiar manly smell that made her insides tingle with delight.

She was slowly slipping away, held hostage by the swelling feeling in her heart when he spoke, his voice a quiet, somber sound. "I was starting to feel troubled around you… you were so _different _than you used to be. But now I know I was wrong. You're just the _same_ annoying girl who can't handle her emotions."

The air lifted around Sakura as Sasuke turned to leave, slamming the door behind him. The breath in her lungs departed in a staggering whoosh of air as she slid to the floor in a crumpled mess. She pulled herself into a ball and buried her face in her folded arms, giving into the flurry of emotions washing over her.

_Anger… sadness… regret…_

_But, most of all, disappointment._ She was so utterly disappointed in herself. Sasuke's words repeated mockingly in her head, and she felt saddened by the truth in them. All this time she had been fighting to be stronger than her emotions—to move on from her juvenile love for Sasuke, but the events that just transpired had proved her wrong with a vengeance. She had tried to prove she was an adult, only to affirm the immaturity inside her. She had tried to ignore her love for Sasuke, only to be blatantly reminded of the flutter in her heart by a simple, close proximity. She was stronger than that; she knew it. She was Haruno Sakura—a near master of chakra control; an apprentice of the legendary sannin Tsunade; a student who could recite any textbook easily. She had strengths of many facets.

But as she sat there in a crumpled mess with tears falling freely, she knew deeply there was no denying her weakness of the heart.

* * *

The day moved sluggishly for Sakura. After she finally evolved enough courage to leave Kakashi's apartment and face the world, she had stopped in at home briefly to shower and change, hoping to hide her harrowing exterior. The freshness of her hair and the crisp change of clothing had helped Sakura's posture to appear brisk and becoming, but there was no denying the pull of sorrow in her green eyes—a paragon for the emotions she had buried inside.

Reluctantly, she had made her way to the hospital, praying for a quick and easy day at work. As she passed the faces of Konoha in the streets, she scanned their expressions with anxiety, expecting a knowing, aghast look. Fortunately, she found none, and she was reminded, yet again, that only guilty people are found guilty. Konoha would be unmoved by her actions if she treated them insignificantly. With that thought, she pressed on, keeping her eyes forward and struggling to hang tight to the meager determination inside her.

At the hospital, she was greeted by an unusually calm Tsunade, pulling on a surgical suit and strapping on a mask. She smirked at Sakura and beckoned her over, and Sakura felt eerie and out of place as she remembered Tsunade's fate for her medical training. A surge of guilt spilled inside her as she made her way towards her former-slash-current teacher.

"Tsunade-sama…" She bowed, turning her head down. "I'm happy to see you in good spirits today."

"Sakura! Come on! Don't stand there all day dawdling! Get dressed! I need you in surgery today."

Confusion struck her hard as she struggled to comprehend Tsunade's words. She turned her head down in shame. "But baachan… I thought you had suspended my training with you…"

Tsunade scoffed. "Kakashi can think what he wants. But when I've decided I want to teach you something, you'll answer to me and to me only." She paused, tossing a set of medical scrubs to Sakura. "And besides, do you really think I'd give up on my apprentice that easy?"

Sakura smiled easily as pride washed over her. She nodded once, and then hastily dressed, mirroring the actions of her sensei. After a few words of briefing, the two women set off towards surgery.

Sakura could feel the happiness bursting inside of her as she walked alongside her superior, making her previous troubles seem contrite and petty. What mattered to her was this—her job as a medic-nin and her studies with Tsunade. No matter what happened to her emotionally, nothing would be more important than that. At some point, Sasuke had been what fueled her determination, so that she could be strong enough to bring him back—for her and for Naruto. But now, Sakura knew, it was more to her than that. She wanted to be stronger for _herself. _ No longer did she want to be the weakest link of Team 7. She wanted a purpose—a reason to keep fighting, and she had found it. Nothing would stop her from that. Not Sasuke. Not Kakashi. And especially not her weak emotions concerning the two.

Sakura peered up at her teacher as they approached the sink, ready to begin their surgical scrub-down. Pumping a few shots of soap in her hands, Sakura sighed, idly wondering if someone as strong and powerful as Tsunade had ever had a regretful moment as she had the night before. She had seen her teacher turn to sake many times, especially in response to stress. Had she loved someone she couldn't have and would never had? How did she handle it? Did she still love him? Or does she fall asleep at night, thinking of the same face over and over again?

Before she could stop herself, Sakura found herself asking those very questions. "Tsunade-sama… may I ask you something?"

Tsunade seemed distracted as she scrubbed her hands, and she paused, taking a moment to internalize Sakura's words. "Hmm? Well, I guess it's never stopped you before."

Sakura bit her lip, suddenly feeling very nervous, but she pressed on. "Have you ever… done something you wished you hadn't?"

Tsunade chuckled. "I'm starting to wonder if this a disguised question that is leading into a much more difficult question." She shot Sakura a knowing look. "I've known you too long Sakura to not recognize the troubled look on your face when you came in today."

Sakura blushed, suddenly feeling very revealed. Yet again, her emotions had taken over her. It was something she had to work on. She focused intently on scrubbing her hands as she spoke up. "Y-yes, Tsunade-sama. I apologize. It's just that I've done something terribly stupid, and now I think I've lost something very important." She sighed, feeling the sadness swell inside her again. "I'm not sure how to fix it."

Tsunade was quiet for a moment as she stared intently at the sink in front of her. She stilled her hands, letting the water run freely over her skin. "I suppose apologizing honestly would be the best start."

Sakura sighed. "Yes, well I tried that with one of them…"

Tsunade raised a brow. "Hmm, so it's more than one?" She chuckled suddenly, shaking her head lightly. "Let me guess—the legendary Uchiha and your former teacher?"

Tsunade watched the redness tint her student's face, her eyes widened in shock. If it's one thing she had learned from Sakura, it was that it was incredibly easy to read her emotions, and, inevitably, it often became her weakness.

"Sakura, I've always known you've loved Sasuke. _Hell, _everyone knows you love Sasuke. But it's the latter that really surprises me…"

Sakura immediately recovered, gasping in response. "N-no! Tsunade-sama, please don't assume things. I don't have those feelings for Kakashi at all. I-I couldn't! I-I mean, there's just no way!"

Tsunade smirked insightfully. "Yes, of course… How could I think that…?" She shook her head, returning to her hand washing. "Now, what were we saying? Ah yes, the apology. Sakura, you have to understand that all people take things differently, and, in return, you must approach them all differently."

Sakura nodded, thinking of her apology earlier. She knew it was not a response Sasuke would appreciate, yet, somehow, she had let her emotions take over again; it was indefinitely not the sort of apology Sasuke was searching for. In fact, he'd rather have no confrontation at all. Words were not something the Uchiha viewed as necessary, especially when they were bundled with varying emotions. She knew Sasuke well enough that actions spoke louder than words for him. She'd have to swallow away her pride and move on from her mistakes, learning from them. Sasuke wanted her to act like an adult in this situation, something she had failed miserably at repeatedly. She'd have to continue on with her life maturely, and slowly, but surely, regain her respect from him. It was something Naruto had done many times, and their friendship always repaired itself.

She frowned, though, as a picture of Kakashi's crestfallen face flashed in her mind. How would she apologize to him—the man who saved her from her mistake? Surely, she'd have to swallow her pride and thank him as well. If he hadn't shown up at her apartment, she would have went through with it and woke up feeling a lot worse than she did this morning. Kakashi was similar to Sasuke when it came to emotions; he wasn't very fond of showing them, especially sharing them. She'd have to approach him maturely and apologize swiftly and honestly. Then, comparable to Sasuke, she'd have to move on like an adult and win him back through her actions, not once lingering on the emotions she truly felt in her heart.

Sakura felt immensely better as she accepted Tsunade's words, and she turned, regarding her teacher with an appreciative smile. "Thank you, baachan. That helps more than you think."

Tsunade nodded, drying her hands and picking up a sterile glove in one hand. "I do have one word of warning, though, Sakura."

Sakura paused, repeating the actions of her teacher. "Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"Be careful…" The hardness in Tsunade's voice startled Sakura, and she regarded her with wary eyes.

Tsunade finished slipping on her glove with a snap, and the loudness of the sound echoed in the room. "It's a messy web to be tangled in—allowing two boys into your heart. In the end, you'll only be allowed to choose one, and you'll have to decide if you can live without either of them. I know first-hand what it feels like to lose someone you love, and it's not something you can ever recover from."

Sakura's eyes widened at her words, and instantly, she wondered who it was Tsunade was talking about. It struck her oddly that Tsunade had ever cried, and over a man too. She opened her mouth to ask, but quickly clamped it shut, knowing such a thing would be disrespectful to a superior. Instead, she nodded, bowing in front of her teacher respectfully.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

A tiny, glint of sadness sparkled in Tsunade's eye, but it was quickly squelched by a wide, forced grin. "No, come on… I've got many things to teach you."

Sakura watched as her teacher turned, disappearing behind the surgery room doors. Something inside her felt massively better as she replayed Tsunade's wise, intuitive words. She felt she had the courage now to face the problems she had made for herself. She knew she could fix what she had broken, and win back the friendship of the two men that were increasingly becoming infinitely important to her. But as she stood there, feeling ready and determined, something in the back of her mind screamed, warning her of the future.

_Be careful…_

* * *

Surgery lasted 3 hours, and Sakura's legs and back ached from standing still, perched uneasily over the exam table. She had never seen such a sight though, and the fascination of it still glimmered inside her. Somehow, Tsunade had used her chakra to reverse the damage of a stroke in the brain. She had slipped her chakra into the cracks of the neurons, searching for the missing connections that had existed previously, and slowly, but surely, weaved the passage between them again. It was extremely time-consuming, not to mention stressful, but she had done it, and Sakura was awestruck. Tsunade had warned that it wasn't foolproof, though, and that she could never recover a brain to its former condition completely, but it was still something Sakura felt enchanted to learn. It was yet another reminder that becoming a medic-nin was the best decision she'd ever made in her life.

Unfortunately, surgery had ran into her usual lunch time, and now she was forced to share the same lunch as Ino—someone she definitely wasn't ready to face yet. She had used her stealth to move carefully through the lunch crowd, grabbing a quick, boxed lunch and making her way towards the cafeteria doors. She felt a sigh of relief as she neared the doors, feeling accomplished in her mission, but something flashed beside her in the corner of her eye. Instantly, her heart sagged.

"Sakura!"

Ino stood before her, looking fresh and not nearly as hungover as herself. Sakura forced a manufactured smile, gulping as she prepared herself for the conversation that was sure to unravel. "Ino! How's it going?"

Ino was not a fan of beating around the bush, and she exhibited this by pushing Sakura towards a nearby table, completely disregarding her friend's current pursuit. "Sakura! Spill! Tell me all about your night!"

Sakura sighed heavily, feeling too tired to dispute her brash friend. "Ino, please, I don't want to talk about it."

Sakura sagged in her chair for effect, but Ino ignored it openly. "Oh, come on! I want to hear all about how virginal Sakura finally gave in and plucked her cherry."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at her friend, gritting her teeth angrily. "Pig! Why do you always have to refer to it that way!"

Ino gasped. "So it did happen?"

Ino stood suddenly, squealing and dancing happily in the middle of the cafeteria. Embarrassed, Sakura tugged her friend back to her seat at the table, bowing her head away from the prying eyes of nearby bystanders.

"Will you stop that!"

Ino pouted sullenly. "Don't be such a party pooper, Forehead. This should be a moment of celebration."

Sakura sighed, shaking her head with contempt. "Just stop, Ino. There's nothing to talk about. Nothing happened, okay?"

Shock crossed Ino's features, and she stared back at her friend blankly. "Excuse me?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Do I have to repeat myself? Nothing happened! Genma walked me home, that's it."

"WHAT!" Ino's shrill voice rang through the cafeteria, and, for a moment, silence followed as all pairs of eyes settled on the two kunoichi. Silence stretched out mockingly as Ino stared, aghast, at her friend. Sakura blushed deep red to the roots of her hair, and she glared out at the curious faces in the crowd, hoping the fury in her eyes would cause them all to wither away and purposely forget the two conversing girls.

Luckily, as fate would have it, the prying crowd quickly lost interest and turned back to their everyday tasks. Sakura turned her glaring eyes to Ino. "What is your problem, Pig? Keep it down!"

Ino narrowed her eyes darkly. "What is wrong with you, _prude! _You're given the perfect chance to move on as an adult, and, once again, your goody-two-shoes attitude intervenes!"

Sakura gritted her teeth, clenching her hands into fists. "Excuse me, Ino! I'm sorry I don't want to be like you and give away my virginity to the nearest willing soul! I'm sure you don't even remember it, do you? How proud you must feel of that!"

Something similar to agony flashed in Ino's face, and Sakura suddenly felt like she had said something terribly wrong. She sunk in her chair, ready to deliver an honest apology, when Ino's voice spoke, broken and disjointed.

"Don't you dare talk about that! You have no idea what that was like for me…"

Sakura's mouth fell open as she recognized the horrifying torment in Ino's face. She began to wonder what had caused her friend so much pain, and she searched her mind for the memory that would illuminate it. And then, it hit her hard, knocking the air straight of her lungs.

"Ino… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I forgot…"

Sakura reached out to touch her friend's hand, but Ino slapped it way. "_Don't!_ You've no idea what it feels like. I don't want an apology from _you!_"

Ino burst into tears, burying her face in her hands. Sakura frowned, reaching out to rub her friend's back soothingly. This time, Ino didn't object. Instead, she leaned into her friend, welcoming the comfort. Sakura felt awful watching her friend cry, knowing she was the reason. But as she sat there, ruminating over Ino's words and her aggressive behavior the night before, it all clicked into place. The dress… the venue… the insistent outlook—it was all a move in Ino's plan to protect Sakura from what had happened to herself. Sakura suddenly felt grateful for her friend's strange token of friendship, and she could no longer feel angry for pushing Sakura to act the way she did.

Ino sniffled loudly in her hands, breaking Sakura from her thoughts. "I loved him, Sakura… I loved him and I didn't even know it until I lost him." She wiped her face with her sleeve, sending Sakura a rare, concerned look. "I didn't want that to happen to you. That's why I knew Genma was perfect; you could lose your virginity quickly and easily without getting tangled in a web of heartache."

Sakura shook her head. "No… Ino, that's not true. What if I fell for Genma too? You can't know that. Just like you didn't know you'd fall for Shikamaru."

At the sound of his name, Ino cringed, another wave of tears glistening in her cerulean eyes. Sakura was aghast. They hadn't spoke of Shikamaru that way in three years, since Ino vowed she'd get over it. She was sure that what happened meant nothing to Ino, but looking back, she couldn't believe how naïve she was. Ino had hooked up with Shikamaru one night in a similar fashion of the night before—with lots of alcohol and the intention to move on from Sasuke. Of course, they hadn't expected to repeat their performance, but ended up hooking up again a few nights later completely sober. Ino had told Sakura confidently at the time it was because she was too irresistible to Shikamaru, and he couldn't turn away without one last time. But now, Sakura understood that the feelings were more mutual than that. Unfortunately, Shikamaru broke it off shortly after, muttering something about it _being troublesome_ since they were on the same team. After that, Ino had a slew of meaningless hookups and continued working with Team 10 as if nothing had ever happened. But now, Sakura knew, it was much more significant than that.

So it was understandable that Sakura was utterly stunned by Ino's outpour of emotions concerning something so long buried. She hadn't a clue what to say to pacify her suffering friend, so she stayed quiet, continually patting her back in hopes of comfort.

Ino finally quieted, but her head continued to hang low. Sakura removed her hand awkwardly, searching her mind for the correct words to say.

Luckily, Ino spoke first, breaking the silence between them. "Why didn't you…?"

Sakura paused, genuinely confused for a moment, but then her thoughts recovered. "With Genma?" She sighed, letting her eyes trail away from Ino's to hide her dishonesty. She couldn't tell her about Kakashi… "I couldn't… I really don't think I could do that with someone I don't care for…"

Ino's eyes widened. "Sakura, _no…" _She shook her head frantically. "No, no! You can't be! You still love him? You're still waiting for him…?"

Sakura frowned, fighting the urge to deny Ino's words. But watching her friend's display of deep emotion earlier made her feel obligated to return them honestly. She remembered her reaction to Sasuke and their proximity earlier, finding it hard to admit her words but also knowing there was no denying them, either.

"I wish I could say no, Ino. But since he's been back… it's all been coming back to me again."

Ino's face suddenly hardened. "Sakura… you know that's a fairytale. I don't think Sasuke's capable of love. What about your training with Kakashi-sensei? I thought he was helping a lot."

The sound of her former teacher's name struck an odd emotion in heart, but Sakura quickly pushed it away, answering her friend honestly. "Yes, he has helped… _a lot actually._ But I also think he might be making my problems worse, too."

Ino had the opportunity to thrive on that comment, but lucky for Sakura, she didn't. Instead, she forced a tight smile and slapped her friend playfully in the arm.

"Oh, man. _Poor, prude Sakura. _She'll be a virgin forever at this rate."

Ino had attempted to lighten the mood between them, but Sakura knew it floundered. The heaviness of their previous conversation was weighing down on them, crushing what liveliness they had left. She stared back at her friend with a similar tight smile, but in the back of her mind she was examining their conversation and all the emotions involved, knowing that their confessions were only a reenactment of the bigger problem that weighed heavy on their hearts, day in and day out.


End file.
